ID  JESUS  WRITE 
OS  OWN  GOSPEL? 


^  I  I 


Pitt   M  a  c  \'  e  y 


OF 


PfiS?^ 


OCT  20  1932 


Division 
Section 


DID  JESUS  WRITE 
HIS  OWN  GOSPEL? 

^^^  OF  PHlJic^, 
A  STUDY  IN  GOSPEL  ORIGIN^  ^  OCT  20  1032 

BY 

William  Pitt  MacVey,  D.  D, 


^ 


CINCINNATI 

JENNINGS  AND   GRAHAM 

NEW  YORK 

EATON  AND  MAINS 


Copyright,  1912, 
Bt  Jennings  and  Gbaham 


"(Mg  Jiiiik  Olomrabe  of  %  "^a^' 


CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION 

I.     A  Letter  to  the  Dean  of  Letters,  -        9 

II.     An  Epistle  to  a  Master  of  Divinity,  13 

III.     A  Message  to  a  Fellow  Christian,  -       17 

Part  One 

PROLEGOMENA 

I.     Gospel  Literature  as  the  Product  of  Its 

Age,       -----  23 

II.     Interpolations  in  the  Fourth  Gospel,    -      77 

III.  The  Composition  of  the   Synoptic   Gos- 

pels,     -----  126 

IV.  Character  and  Scope  of  Hebrew  Poetry,     153 

Part  Two 

THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

I.  The  Matth^an  Logia,          -          -  -    197 

II.  The  Book  of  Parables,  -          -          -  222 

III.  The  Oracles  from  the  Fourth  Gospel,  -    258 

IV.  Poetic  Fragments,           -          _          _  284 

5 


CONTENTS 

Part  Three 

THE  HYPOTHESIS 

I.  The  Context  of  the  Johannine  Oracles,  315 

II.  The  Jerusalem  Gospel,  -  -  -  329 

III.  Theory  of  Gospel  Origins,  -  -  -  357 

IV.  The  Argument  in  Outline,        -  -  376 

NOTES,  __  -  -  -  -    417 


INTRODUCTION 

I.     A  Letter  to  the  Dean  of  Letters. 
IL     An  Epistle  to  a  Master  of  Divinity. 
III.     A  Message  to  a  Fellow  Christian. 


A  LETTER  TO  THE  DEAN  OF 
LETTERS 

Dear  Sir: 

The  Republic  of  Letters  has  a  reputation  for 
hospitahty  and  a  laurel  for  every  deserving 
brow.  In  such  a  faith  I  seek  to  bring  to  your 
attention  the  formal  utterances  of  a  great 
literary  Master.  If  Literature  be  the  worthy 
expression  of  ideas  through  the  medium  of 
formal  language,  then  has  my  Hero  a  claim 
to  your  interest.  Hitherto  He  has  been  ac- 
claimed as  a  Master  of  oracular  and  vocal  ex- 
pression; and  in  this  capacity  His  genius  has 
stamped  itself  on  twenty  centuries  and  many 
races,  until  His  utterances  have  become  almost 
as  basic  to  our  common  thinking  as  have  the 
facts  and  similes  of  nature  herself.  In  this  re- 
spect, Jesus  of  Nazareth  has  no  compeer;  the 
ratio  of  proverb  and  moral  axiom  to  the  totality 
of  His  teaching  is  marvelous.  In  part  this  is 
due  to  the  supreme  position  accorded  Him;  yet 
far  more  to  the  clarity  of  expression,  the  vigor 
of  truth,  the  insight  into  human  need,  and  the 
enduring   simplicity   of   His   chosen   likenesses. 

But  the  secret  of  this  mastery  has  not  been 
9 


INTRODUCTION 

suflBciently  probed.  Much  of  it  was  sponta- 
neous ;  yet  spontaneity  tends  to  prolixity,  and  its 
point  is  too  often  of  particular  perception  rather 
than  universal.  In  addition  to  this  natural 
genius  was  the  careful  mastery  of  form,  until 
instinct  and  art  merged  in  a  beautiful  unity. 
This  was  the  more  natural  because  the  prosody 
of  His  people  was  primarily  a  matter  of  thought 
form  rather  than  verbal.  Parallelism  of  thought 
in  relations  of  resemblance,  contrariety,  expan- 
sion or  cause  afforded  opportunity  for  the  subtle 
expression  of  all  resemblance  in  diversity;  it 
tended  to  clear  the  idea  by  setting  it  in  these 
relations  to  other  ideas;  it  afforded  opportunity 
for  a  variation  of  fancy  and  a  play  of  symbols 
that  possesses  a  distinct  fascination.  It  is  this 
independence  of  thought  from  the  vocal  ele- 
ments of  language  that  constitutes  the  superi- 
ority of  Hebrew  Poetry.  The  measures  of  the 
Iliad,  or  of  Sophocles,  are  lost  to  all  save  schol- 
ars; the  quantities  of  syllabic  structure  which 
Vergil  knew  are  scarcely  appreciated;  while  the 
rhythmic  beat  of  accent  of  the  Teutonic  peoples 
is  a  near  Barbarism  to  the  sunny  South  folk. 
But  thought-rhythm  is  appreciable  to  all.  Its 
masterful  use  accounts  for  the  wonderful  at- 
tractiveness of  the  Psalms,  makes  Isaiah  the 
best  read  of  the  prophets,  and  must  be  reck- 
oned an  element  in  the  power  of  Jesus  to  in- 
terpret spiritual  truth. 

10 


A  LETTER  TO  THE  DEAN  OF  LETTERS 

Here,  then,  is  the  proposition — that  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  was  a  Poet,  mastering  the  intricacies 
of  prosody  and  feeling  the  thrill  of  poetic  genius, 
adequately  matching  a  thought  with  word 
symbols  and  sending  forth  the  twain  in  immu- 
table wedlock.  This  has  been  hinted  in  a  thou- 
sand essays  ;*  but  as  yet  His  Oracles  have  failed 
of  presentation  with  due  emphasis  upon  this 
formal  element.  They  have  been  obscured  by 
rendition  into  a  dialect,  different  in  construction 
and  in  vocabulary.  But  the  thought-rhythm 
affords  a  clue  by  which  this  foreign  element  can 
be  eliminated,  and  we  can  then  detect  the 
pattern  in  which  the  original  strands  were 
woven.  Here  was  poetry  reduced  to  prose;  the 
vase  broken  while  the  fine  aroma  escaped. 
Could  any  hope  to  cement  the  vessel  into 
worthy  form  again  .^^ 

In  so  attempting  there  is  something  of  a 
sacrilege.  The  forms  of  our  English  Bible  come 
to  us  through  such  a  crucible  of  martyr  fire  as 
to  give  them  a  special  sanctity  of  their  own. 
As  we  have  them  they  are  no  one  man's  work: 
but  wrought  out  by  a  certain  cosmic  process 
of  trial  by  a  whole  people — here  attrition  and 
there  favor;  here  rejection  and  there  develop- 
ment— until  on  the  foundation  of  Tyndale's 
masterly  work  arose  the  fabric  of  the  West- 
minster version.     But  much  more  has  sacred 

*Note  1 

11 


INTRODUCTION 

eloquence,  the  tender  memory  of  promises 
tried,  the  interpretations  of  scholars  and  of 
circumstances  endeared  them,  word  for  word, 
through  now  three  centuries  to  our  hearts. 
Contributory  to  our  developing  speech  more  than 
Shakespeare  and  Bacon  united,  the  words  and 
phrases  have,  as  we  may  say,  a  sanctity  of  their 
own,  and  before  this  as  a  shrine,  have  I  with 
you,  and  all  else  who  reverence  language  and 
spirit  in  language,  bowed  ourselves. 

If  only  we  could  win  back  to  the  very  words 
of  the  Master,  the  terse  Aramaean*  of  the  com- 
mon folk,  I  doubt  not  beauties  would  be  re- 
vealed that  would  make  that  forgotten  dialect  a 
classic.  But  lacking  this  possibility  I  have  held 
only  to  the  thought-rhythm,  balancing  the  lines 
as  they  marched  with  their  partners,  two,  three, 
or  four  abreast,  in  the  evolutions  of  wonderful 
poems.  In  this  new  form  I  invite  you  to  attend 
to  the  Master  Oracles  of  the  greatest  soul  that 
was  ever  earth-born.  Accord  Him  His  due  in 
the  World  of  Letters,  the  crown  which  has  long 
since  been  His  in  the  realm  of  human  hearts. 

♦Note  i. 


n 


n 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  A  MASTER  OF 
DIVINITY 

My  Dear  Professor: 

I  have  hailed  you  as  a  Master  of  theological 
science,  because  there  is  no  turn  of  doctrinal 
development  which  you  have  not  duly  pondered; 
the  great  systems  of  theological  thought  are 
each  labeled  and  duly  set  in  your  mental 
museum.  Yet  the  present  trend  is  away  from 
theory  and  formalism  to  the  data  of  science. 
You  have  been  quick  to  discover  this  in  spiritual 
psychology,  the  mysterious  realm  but  dimly 
lighted  for  us,  and  diflacult  and  uncertain  by 
reason  of  man's  incapacity  for  self-revelation, 
and  his  fellow's  inabihty  to  conduct  an  exact 
analysis  of  the  mental  and  spiritual  processes 
of  others. 

But  how,  if  one  were  to  read  himself  aright, 
and  were  brilHantly  able  to  express  to  others 
what  he  read?  And  how,  further,  if  this  one 
chanced  to  be,  of  all  the  race,  the  one  whose 
obvious  spiritual  attainments  constituted  the 
master  phenomenon  of  history?  Then  we 
should,  I  take  it,  seize  upon  these  elemental  con- 

13 


INTRODUCTION 

fessions  as  data  fundamental  to  any  interpre- 
tations of  spiritual  reality;  we  should  ponder 
them  as  foundation  stones  of  the  cathedral  of 
theology;  we  should  cherish  them  as  the  primal 
elements  of  sacred  hope.  Such  is  the  signifi- 
cance of  this  book. 

Except  for  oracular  utterance  here  and 
there,  some  inferences  from  precept  and  prayer, 
indeterminate  suggestions  in  colloquy,  or  oc- 
casional cryptic  expressions,  the  utterances  of 
Jesus  preserved  by  the  Synoptic  Gospels  are 
largely  objective.  We  are  not  let  into  the  temple 
of  His  soul.  But  the  Fourth  Gospel  presents 
the  subjective  side.  Hence  has  raged  the  battle 
at  its  gates;  it  has  alternately  been  stripped  of 
meaning,  called  forgery  or  romance,  and  anon 
exalted  to  primacy  by  reason  of  Apostolic  au- 
thority. But  the  real  basis  of  this  Gospel  ap- 
pears to  be  in  certain  self-interpreting  Poems, 
originating  in  the  mind  and  from  the  hand  of 
Jesus.  So  that  if  we  can  attain  to  their  original 
balance  and  structure  we  have  a  rich  contribu- 
tion to  the  data  of  theological  science.  Doubt- 
less much  of  purging  and  testing  is  necessary 
before  the  pure  elements  are  available;  but  the 
idea  that  these  Poems  are  original  with  Jesus 
must  give  a  new  medium  for  interpretation  and 
light  the  mystery  of  His  personality  with  the 
fire  of  His  genius. 

How  apt  are  the  forms  of  Hebrew  Poetry 
14 


EPISTLE  TO  A  MASTER  OF  DIVINITY 

for  the  function  of  self -interpretation ;  a  declara- 
tion of  mood  is  made,  and  then  balanced  with  a 
further  statement;  and  consequent  upon  these 
a  kindred  pair,  each  limiting,  guarding,  illus- 
trating and  applying  the  other.  Nothing  could 
be  finer  or  better.  And  this  group  of  poems, 
scarcely  the  equal  of  a  single  Canto  of  an  Epic, 
represents  not  a  single  mood,  but  is  the  ex- 
pression of  a  score  of  conditions  and  of  as  many 
mental  attitudes.  It  is  as  the  facets  of  a  gem, 
that  flash  back  the  divine  light  from  any  angle. 

The  fact  that  it  is  verse,  figure,  rhythm, 
means  caution  against  the  interpretation  of  its 
phrases  as  strict  theological  formula.  The 
expressive  figure  of  the  "New  Birth"  gains  in 
spiritual  power  what  it  loses  as  a  doctrinal  ex- 
pression; and  so  of  a  score  of  other  passages 
which  our  fathers  loved  to  connote.  But  the 
totality  of  the  revelation  is  authoritative,  con- 
clusive, leaving  no  question  as  to  the  inner 
convictions  of  the  soul  whom  our  race  has 
exalted  to  Lordship.  All  questions  of  His  own 
estimate  of  Himself  sink  to  rest;  He  makes 
clear  the  scope  of  His  power^  the  measure  of 
His  mission,  and  the  hopeful  realities  which  lie 
beyond  the  shadows. 

These  considerations  are  a  sufiicient  justifi- 
cation for  major  attention  to  the  problem  of  the 
Fourth  Gospel.  But  from  the  critical  point  of 
view  the  urgency  is  even  greater.    This  Gospel 

15 


INTRODUCTION 

is  the  one  reluctant  element  in  the  Apostolic 
Age;  the  various  hypotheses  as  to  its  origin  have 
failed  of  conviction,  until  many  scholars  have 
thought  the  problem  to  be  insoluble  in  the 
existing  state  of  knowledge.  The  application  of 
a  new  critical  instrument  has  always  possibilities 
of  great  value.  I  leave  it  to  your  judgment  how 
far  these  potentialities  become  realities  in  the 
present  treatise.  I  ask  no  more  than  a  judg- 
ment which  esteems  novelty  on  the  basis  of  its 
power  to  clarify  data,  and  to  assimilate  the 
exception  to  the  general  laws  of  its  class. 


16 


Ill 

A  MESSAGE  TO  A  FELLOW  CHRISTIAN 

Dear  Brother: 

We  are  one  in  a  common  discipleship,  so  I 
bring  you  what  I  have  learned  concerning  the 
Master's  thought;  there  is  in  it  something  new, 
yet  its  main  importance  is  its  new  emphasis 
upon  the  old.  Each  age  develops  its  own  forms 
of  spiritual  culture,  and  always  there  is  pang 
and  strain  when  the  old  forms  yield  to  the  new; 
these  are  the  growing  pains  of  Christian  con- 
sciousness, which  retains  its  identity  through 
all  its  varied  manifestations.  Through  some 
such  experience  are  we  passing  now;  it  is  an 
emergence  from  old  cultural  forms  that  have 
abundantly  helped  the  souls  of  men,  but  for 
one  or  another  reason  have  now  a  lessening 
power  to  do  so. 

Chief  among  these  reasons  is  an  actual 
change  in  the  human  mind  itself,  both  in  the 
content  and  in  the  form  of  its  knowledge.  The 
mental  attitudes  of  the  modern  man  greatly 
vary  from  those  of  his  progenitors  of  the  previous 
century,  yet  religious  forms  received  their  last 
2  17 


INTRODUCTION 

important  modification  in  that  period.  There 
have,  indeed,  been  developments,  some  impor- 
tant, and  here  and  there  a  grafting  upon  the 
cultus  that  has  come  down  to  us;  but  no  appre- 
hending of  new  principles  of  spiritual  culture. 
Consequently,  while  we  are  conscious  of  the 
loosening  of  the  old,  we  do  not  fully  perceive 
that  to  which  it  is  yielding. 

It  is  at  this  point  that  this  book  may  possess 
a  special  value,  enabling,  as  it  does,  the  ap- 
propriation of  the  method  used  by  our  Lord 
Himself  in  His  matchless  pedagogy.  Jesus  was 
Himself  the  inspiration  of  His  immediate  dis- 
ciples— the  power  of  His  character,  the  mag- 
netism of  His  personality,  the  engrossing  charm 
of  His  presence.  Something  of  this  is  pre- 
served for  us  in  the  apt  reminiscences  of  the 
faithful,  and  yet  more  in  His  own  measured 
utterances.  No  other  individual  has  succeeded 
in  an  equal  degree  in  projecting  his  personality 
across  the  centuries;  and  this  apart  from  the 
mystic  response  which  divinity  makes  to  the 
enlarging  perceptions  of  the  human  soul.  But 
aside  from  the  winsomeness  of  Jesus,  radiant 
constantly  from  His  person,  was  the  method 
used  by  Him  in  His  accepted  character  of 
Teacher.  This,  in  brief,  was  the  careful  expres- 
sion in  the  form  of  Logia,  Parables,  or  Lyrics 
of  the  truth  He  wished  to  communicate,  and 
these  by   repetition   were   impressed   upon   the 

18 


A  MESSAGE  TO  A  FELLOW  CHRISTIAN 

minds  of  The  Twelve,  who  constituted  His 
permanent  class,  and  such  others  as  the  accident 
of  circumstance  made  His  auditors.  Then,  on 
the  basis  of  such  oracles,  followed  exposition, 
query,  comment,  colloquy,  bringing  the  truth 
home  to  the  hearts  and  minds  of  all.  So  much 
stress  did  He  lay  upon  this  mode  that  He  re- 
peatedly exhorted  His  disciples  to  remember 
His  Logia,  and  associated  with  such  acts  of 
memory  His  largest  blessings. 

To  get  the  thought  of  Jesus  into  the  mind 
of  the  Age  is  our  task  and  should  be  our  pro- 
gram. To  this  end  there  is  no  better  way  than 
actually  to  commit  to  memory  His  sayings,  to 
the  end  that  they  may  be  available  at  all  times 
for  our  ponderings.  It  was  in  some  such  way 
that  Homer  became  the  dominant  formative 
influence  in  Greek  education,  until  the  ideal  of 
every  lad  was  to  emulate  the  brilliant  Achilles 
and  of  every  elder  to  attain  to  the  wisdom  of 
the  traveled  Ulysses.  But  the  works  of  Homer 
far  out-page  the  relicts  of  Jesus.  It  should  be 
possible  for  us  to  fix  in  mind  the  totality  of  His 
formal  utterance,  which  bulks  less  than  a  single 
drama  of  Shakespeare.*  Yet  how  largely  do 
they  touch  life,  the  innermost  tragedies  of  the 
soul,  the  manifest  ethics  of  human  company, 
the  upward  reachings  of  the  heart — they  even 
illuminate  the  Great  Beyond.     Rich,  incompar- 

*  Note  3. 

19 


INTRODUCTION 

ably  rich  in  heart,  hfe,  and  spiritual  power 
would  that  soul  be  who  had  apprehended  the 
teaching  of  Jesus. 

I  have  sought  to  serve  somewhat  in  un- 
raveling from  their  complicated  textual  associ- 
ation, and  in  presenting  in  something  of  their 
original  form,  The  Poems  of  Jesus.  Ap- 
proached in  such  a  spirit,  with  critical  issues 
laid  aside,  and  performance  mellowed  by  the 
confessed  intention,  I  trust  that  many  may 
find  the  fulfillment  of  promise — 

"If  you  abide  in  Me, 
And  My  words  abide  in  you, 
You  shall  ask  what  you  will, 
And  it  shall  be  done  to  you." 


20 


Part  One 
PROLEGOMENA 

I.  Gospel  Literature  as  the  Product  of  Its  Age. 

II.  Interpolations  in  the  Fourth  Gospel. 

III,  The  Composition  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels. 

IV.  Character  and  Scope  of  Hebrew  Poetry.- 


Gospel  Literature  as  the  Product  of 
Its  Age 

All  literature  is  vitally  related  to  the  age  in 
which  it  is  produced.  Any  mind  which  seeks  to 
express  itself  has  gained  its  content  from  con- 
tact with  the  elements  of  its  time.  Not  even 
the  recluse  poring  over  forgotten  tomes  can 
escape  this  Law.  For  this  forgotten  lore  is  a 
possession  of  his  time,  and  his  interpretation 
and  application  of  it  are  determined  by  the 
thousand  things  in  his  personal  experience  with 
men  and  things  which  have  sent  him  to  his  task. 
But  in  the  open,  where  human  contact  is  in- 
tentional, where  there  is  a  desire  to  mingle  with 
the  factors  of  the  time  and  to  feel  the  pulsings 
of  its  great  forces,  even  to  add  a  little  to  their 
effect,  the  Law  becomes  a  commonplace. 

It  is  well,  however,  to  call  this  truth  to  mind, 
because  in  the  case  of  the  literature  presently 
to  be  considered  the  attempt  has  been  made  to 
withdraw  it  from  these  relations  and  to  consider 
it  as  exempt  from  the  ordinary  influences  of  its 
time.  This  dehumanizing  of  a  document  in 
the  interests  of  a  theory  has  this  penalty,  that 

23 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

it  can  not  afterwards  be  rehumanlzed,  and  so 
given  again  its  real  power  over  the  minds  of 
men;  it  remains  an  anomaly  in  experience.  But 
whatever  its  origin,  a  literature  depends  for  its 
circulation  upon  its  appeal  to  the  human  mind; 
and  thus  the  second  phase  of  the  Law  becomes 
operative.  The  occult  drops  from  prominence 
because  of  its  lack  of  appeal.  Who  would 
attend  to  the  painful  labor  of  copying  docu- 
ments in  which  no  one  was  interested?  and  if 
the  documents  be  few  and  far  between,  the 
vicissitudes  of  passing  time  would  soon  elim- 
inate them  from  what  little  currency  they 
possessed.  Thus  a  human  interest  was  essential 
to  the  preservation  of  literature  of  any  char- 
acter. 

It  is  possible  to  approach  the  particular 
problem  of  the  Gospel  Literature  through  an 
examination  of  the  facts  of  circulation,  which, 
in  turn,  divides  itself  into  two  general  inquiries — 
the  one  dealing  with  the  production  of  copies, 
and  the  other  with  their  circulation. 

The  ancient  copyist  had  a  choice  of  material, 
but  in  a  very  limited  degree.  He  might,  where 
the  character  of  the  production  and  its  probable 
disposal  seemed  to  warrant  it,  make  use  of 
parchment  of  varying  degrees  of  fineness.  But 
he  would  not  do  this  at  a  venture,  or  without  a 
sure  return.  The  initial  cost  of  the  material 
was  prohibitive  of  its  free  use;  and  the  care 


PROLEGOMENA 

required  in  copying,  both  from  the  higher 
standard  of  its  ultimate  possessors,  and  the 
nature  of  the  material  itself  would  greatly 
protract  and  add  to  the  cost  of  the  finished 
document.  On  the  other  hand,  such  a  docu- 
ment, once  produced,  would  have  a  much 
greater  likelihood  of  survival.  The  material 
itself  was  practically  indestructible  by  the 
agencies  of  time,  while  its  value  in  the  opinion 
of  an  owner  would  lead  to  care  in  its  preserva- 
tion. 

For  ordinary  purposes  the  material  used 
would  be  papyrus.  But  while  common  enough 
for  all  the  uses  of  an  illiterate  age,  the  actual 
cost  was  by  no  means  inconsiderable.  It  came 
in  several  varieties,  some  of  which  were  of  little 
value  for  matters  requiring  preservation.  On 
the  whole  it  was  widely  used,  and  the  demand 
must  have  so  over-reached  the  supply  as  to 
maintain  the  prices  beyond  the  purses  of  or- 
dinary men,  for  ordinary  uses.  Current  ac- 
counts, memoranda  were  kept  on  shells  or  bits 
of  pottery,  or  any  adequate  surface  which  per- 
mitted their  erasure,  and  so  their  perennial 
use.     Thus  papyrus  was  really  a  book  paper. 

The  shrewd  economy  of  the  East  presently 
found  it  possible  to  erase  from  the  papyrus 
the  previous  writing,  and  thus  present  a  fair 
surface  for  the  copying  that  which  seemed  of 
greater  value.    So  currently  was  this  done  that 

25 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

the  palimpsest  became  a  regular  article  of 
stationery  and  provided  the  copyist  with  his 
cheapest  material.  Certainly  its  use  would 
indicate  either  the  light  estimate  of  the  message 
or  else  the  limited  purse  of  its  purchaser — 
precisely   the   material   for   a   popular   edition. 

But,  having  his  material  in  hand,  the  actual 
work  of  copying  would  prove  an  extensive  task. 
Even  to-day  a  good  penman  would  feel  that  a 
thousand  words  an  hour  would  task  his  powers, 
day  after  day,  and  this  with  the  flowing  char- 
acter of  our  script  and  the  excellence  of  the 
implements  employed.  For  the  ancient  scribe 
these  conditions  were  entirely  lacking.  The 
characters  were  formed  by  distinct  strokes,  his 
writing  material  was  often  recalcitrant,  while  its 
value  urged  caution  lest  it  should  be  marred 
by  error.  Thus  slowly  he  built  his  expert  work 
into  the  final  cost  of  the  production.  Even  on 
the  basis  of  wage  for  wage,  it  is  clear  that  many 
days'  wages  would  be  required  of  the  purchaser 
before  an  extensive  document  would  become 
his  own. 

For  the  most  part  the  documents  were 
written  in  the  familiar  form  of  scrolls.*  The 
use  of  separate  leaves  had  been  introduced,  and 
in  some  cases  would  prove  a  convenience.  So 
the    copyist    inscribed    his    matter    in    narrow 

*  Note  4. 


PROLEGOMENA 

columns,  one  or  two  of  which  would  be  before 
the  eye  as  the  reader  unrolled  with  one  hand 
and  rolled  the  read  portions  with  the  other. 
If  the  copyist  relied  upon  his  vision  as  he 
copied,  there  was  a  plentiful  chance  for  con- 
fusion, as  between  columns,  and  even  greater 
as  between  the  short  lines.  He  made  no  dis- 
tinction of  words,  but  kept  on  crowding  as 
many  letters  as  space  permitted  into  each  of 
his  lines,  and  frequently  each  line  as  close  to 
its  predecessor  as  a  distinction  of  sense  would 
allow.  For  was  not  each  inch  of  space  valuable, 
and,  therefore,  to  be  utilized  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage? Between  his  columns  he  did  allow 
some  waste,  but  this  was  due  to  the  exigencies 
of  the  scroll.  It  may  be  noted,  in  passing,  that 
such  intercolumnar  spaces  would,  by  their 
very  convenience,  afford  an  incentive  to  inter- 
polation. 

The  actual  production  of  copies  would  reside 
in  the  hands  of  men  who  had  made  writing 
their  principal  work  in  life;  every  village  would 
boast  its  scribe;  but  in  many  cases  he  would, 
indeed,  be  a  poor  artist.  There  must  be  a 
sufficient  demand  for  such  work  in  order  to 
develop  excellence.  The  local  needs  of  a 
small  village,  while  imperative  when  they  arose, 
were,  none  the  less,  but  limited  in  scope.  In  the 
cities  there  would  be  several  men  devoted  to 
such  tasks,  and  doubtless  any  of  them  fully 

27 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

competent  to  transcribe  any  copy  set  before 
them.  Their  work  would  be  impersonal;  to 
them  letters  were  but  letters,  no  matter  what 
wondrous  sentiment  they  might  express.  Work 
would  be  done  almost  always  to  order,  and 
seldom  or  never  as  a  venture  dependent  upon 
future  sale.  They  would  have  their  shop  upon 
the  public  street,  where  wondering  illiterates 
might  observe  their  curious  skill.  Each  com- 
mission would  be  a  task  of  public  knowledge. 
Generally  these  would  be  confined  to  the  mat- 
ter of  personal  communication  with  distant 
persons  or  the  drawing  up  of  commercial  agree- 
ments. Only  occasionally  would  some  one 
come  with  a  bit  of  literature  to  be  copied.  In 
such  a  case  his  original  might  be  mutilated  or 
so  worn  as  to  make  but  indifferent  copy,  hence 
the  probability  of  error  in  its  transcription. 
Humanly  speaking  it  would  be  impossible  to 
produce  an  absolutely  accurate  transcription. 
This,  however,  would  be  a  matter  of  little  con- 
cern to  the  employer,  for  a  liberty  of  spelling 
and  the  lack  of  distinction  in  words  would  make 
it  impractical  for  him  to  check  the  work  in 
detail.  Fine  distinctions  of  that  sort  were  not 
in  vogue.  A  change  of  tense,  a  confused  de- 
clension, the  end  of  a  word  construed  as  the 
beginning  of  another — these  were  little  things 
as  compared  with  the  style  of  the  script  and 
the  artistic  effect  of  the  production.     Even  in 

28 


PROLEGOMENA 

sacred  things  a  jot  or  a  tittle  might  easily  drop 
from  the  Law. 

Such  possibilities  were  further  accentuated 
by  differences  in  alphabet  which  chanced  to  be 
in  vogue.  There  was  a  splendid  angular  cap- 
italized character  which  required  no  little  skill 
on  the  part  of  the  user.  It  is  evident  that  letter 
characters  of  this  type  would  greatly  protract 
the  process,  and  hence  were  adapted  only  to 
work  of  unusual  value  and  importance.  But 
following  this  general  type  was  a  modified  char- 
acter, more  easily  written,  and,  in  consequence, 
more  easily  confused  both  in  the  writing  and 
the  reading.  It  had,  however,  a  great  popularity, 
and  for  a  time  dominated  the  situation.  In 
due  course  the  increased  demand  for  writing 
led  to  the  development  of  a  greatly  differing 
character.  This  was  the  cursive  or  flowing  style, 
by  which  is  meant  the  writing  continuously 
without  lifting  the  pen  from  the  paper,  so 
merging  letter  into  letter  and  word  into  word. 
The  introduction  and  consequent  popularity  of 
the  cursive  writing  had  the  effect  of  cheapening 
the  cost  of  documents,  for  much  greater  prog- 
ress could  be  made  in  a  given  time.  Thus, 
together  with  the  papyrus  or  the  palimpsest, 
the  cost  of  production  was  so  lowered  that  it 
may  be  said  to  have  made  hterature  accessible 
to  an  altogether  new  public,  quite  as  in  a  later 
age  the  publication   of  cheap  editions  of  the 

£9 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

classics  found  a  ready  welcome.  But  since  the 
minimizing  of  the  cost  thus  became  a  great 
consideration,  the  care  in  the  production  was 
less  attended  to — even  gross  errors  were  al- 
lowed to  creep  in.  Such  productions  would  have 
little  or  no  critical  value. 

A  reading  public  having  been  developed  by 
these  ministrations,  great  publishing  houses 
arose  to  take  advantage  of  the  market.  Their 
methods  were  admirably  adapted  to  the  re- 
quirements of  the  time.  In  some  adequate  hall, 
a  number  of  scribes  would  be  assembled.  Gen- 
erally these  were  educated  slaves,  for  the  for- 
tunes of  war  respected  neither  blood  nor 
heritage,  and  frequently  a  master  would  be 
surpassed  in  intelligence  and  culture  by  some 
slave  in  his  household.  Epictetus  and  Onesimus 
suflficiently  attest  this  situation.  The  attain- 
ments of  a  hundred  servile  scribes  thus  as- 
sembled for  literary  purposes  would  of  course 
vary;  some  among  them  would  be  proficient  in 
the  highest  degree;  others,  the  beginners  and 
the  dolts,  would  make  but  a  sorry  mess  of  their 
work.  To  these  scribes  some  clear-voiced  reader 
would  intone  the  passage  for  inscription,  and 
each  penman  would  follow  as  best  his  circum- 
stances and  training  permitted.  They  wrote 
no  longer  by  the  eye,  each  setting  his  own  pace, 
and  at  liberty  to  reassure  himself  on  a  doubtful 
point;  but  now  they  depended  entirely  on  their 

30 


PROLEGOMENA 

hearing  and  were  denied  opportunity  to  correct 
their  misconceptions.  Everything  was  calcu- 
lated to  emphasize  the  individuality  of  the  copy- 
ist— quickness  of  ear,  mobility  in  conception, 
and  ease  of  hand  would  produce  a  text  that 
might  be  highly  prized.  Such  a  writer  would 
be  favored  with  the  best  material  for  writing, 
to  him  would  be  given  the  preferable  place 
before  the  Lector;  but  for  the  poor  and  deficient 
scribe  the  cheapest  of  material  and  the  least- 
favored  place  would  suffice.  Naturally  enough 
there  would  be  a  wide  difference  in  the  results. 
Yet  such  cheap  editions  would  sell  the  most 
readily,  and  would,  in  turn,  become  the  basis 
for  pirated  editions,  to  circulate  among  an  even 
poorer  public. 

There  were,  then,  three  main  ways  for  the 
multiplication  of  copies  of  any  work  of  liter- 
ature. The  first  was  by  such  copying  as  an 
individual  might  do  for  himself,  or  as  a  favor  for 
his  neighbors;  but  this  process  would  be  slow 
and  inadequate;  it  would  be  long,  indeed,  be- 
fore a  sufficient  number  had  been  produced  to 
have  any  measurable  effect  upon  the  publishing 
interests.  It  might,  indeed,  be  the  case  that  an 
author's  manuscript  would  be  privately  cir- 
culated, affording  a  few  friends  an  opportunity 
to  make  a  copy  for  themselves.  Such  copies 
might,  at  a  later  period,  become  the  bases  of 
public  circulation.     In  such  a  case  their  diver- 

31 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

gencies  would  be  fundamental  and  would  be  but 
multiplied  in  the  further  course  of  promulgation. 
The  second  stage  would  be  reached  when  the 
demand  had  become  sufficiently  strong  to  justify 
recourse  to  the  local  scribe.  These  manu- 
scripts would  then  possess  the  peculiarities  not 
only  of  the  individual  but  of  the  locality  as  well. 
When,  then,  such  copies  had  been  carried  to  a 
far  country  they  might  readily  at  points  be  mis- 
interpreted, and  in  any  case  would  in  subsequent 
edition  partake  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
strange  land.  So  in  due  course  the  West  would 
differ  from  the  East.*  When  by  such  stages  a 
book  had  attained  to  a  measure  of  popularity  so 
as  to  evidence  a  steady  demand,  and  to  justify 
its  promulgation  upon  a  large  scale,  the  pub- 
lishing interests  would  take  it  in  hand,  with 
the  result  that  all  corruption  of  preceding 
times  would  be  overshadowed  by  the  destruc- 
tiveness  of  this  process.  So  in  the  end  the 
textus  receptus  of  a  popular  book  would  differ 
greatly  on  many  points  from  the  original;  and 
even  the  latest  edition  would  be  devoid  of 
agreement  among  its  several  copies.  Yet  to 
the  ordinary  mind  these  later  texts  would  be 
more  acceptable  than  the  archaic  originals. 
In  part  this  would  be  because  the  new  is  ever  a 
successful  competitor  with  the  old;  but  the  even 

*Note  5. 


PROLEGOMENA 

more  solid  reason  of  greater  legibility  would 
favor  its  sale.  Handwriting  changed  in  those 
days,  even  as  with  the  moderns  the  Spencerian 
yielded  for  a  while  to  the  business  modes,  and 
these  to  the  vertical.  One  who  attempts  to 
read  the  manuscripts  of  even  a  half  century 
since  finds  himself  greatly  impeded  until  cus- 
tom has  come  to  his  aid;  while  the  passage  of 
three  centuries  has  put  the  contemporaries  of 
Shakespeare  at  the  mercy  of  the  cryptologist. 
With  such  examples  in  recent  experience  it  is 
possible  to  allow  for  the  motives  which  oper- 
ated in  the  reduction  of  many  a  fair  document 
into  a  palimpsest;  and,  indeed,  to  be  thankful 
for  the  process,  for  only  thus  and  by  the  re- 
viving povv^er  of  chemistry  have  numerous 
important  survivals  of  antiquity  been  secured 
for  the  modern  world. 

Thus  the  earlier  generations  of  documents 
tended  to  pass  into  obscurity,  giving  place  to 
descendant  whose  purity  and  worth  were  in- 
creasingly doubtful.  This  was,  however,  the 
Law  of  Transmission,  from  which  there  was 
no  escape.  Occasionally  an  enlightened  man 
might  seek  copies  of  high  antiquity  and  do 
something  for  the  restoration  of  the  original 
text;  but  unless  the  motive  were  indeed  strong 
little  would  be  accomplished.  Even  under  the 
most  favorable  conditions  it  would  be  impossible 
to  displace  the  corrupt  copies;  so  that  the 
3  33 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

critically  edited  text  would  but  serve  as  a  new 
point  of  departure,  grafting  a  new  branch  upon 
the  genealogical  tree,  and  unltimately  compli- 
cating the  relationship. 

Such  were  the  general  conditions  affecting 
the  circulation  of  literature.  They  arose  out 
of  the  limitations  of  the  time,  and  were  in  no 
sense  to  be  avoided.  An  occasional  text  might 
be  less  subject  to  these  variations.  A  type  of 
literature  that  appealed  to  the  memory  would, 
in  the  hands  of  sympathetic  copyists,  measur- 
ably escape  these  influences.  But  when  the 
greatest  allowance  has  been  made,  it  is  evident 
that  at  the  distance  of  three  centuries  there 
would  be  wide  divergence  from  the  original. 

The  force  of  this  analysis  and  its  application 
to  the  present  problem  lies  in  this:  So  far  as 
men  know  there  is  extant  no  copy  of  the  Gos- 
pels of  an  earlier  transcription  than  three 
centuries  after  the  events  which  are  recorded. 
For  the  most  part  such  copies  as  exist  are  of  an 
even  later  date.  These  show  all  the  variations 
which  the  conditions  of  the  time  would  lead  us 
to  expect.  On  an  average  there  is  a  variation 
for  every  verse  in  the  narrative.  These  varia- 
tions are  traceable  to  various  causes,  so  that 
every  influence  outlined  above  is  traceable  in 
one  or  another  of  the  copies  which  now  exist. 
The  Gospels  ran  the  whole  gamut  of  transcrip- 
tional modification.    Their  several  factors  were 

34 


PROLEGOMENA 

at  first  privately  circulated  and  multiplied.  As 
the  demand  increased,  the  local  scribe  became 
an  agent  for  their  multiplication.  Sometimes 
he  may  have  been  a  member  of  the  Christian 
communion,  and  so  animated  by  a  special  zeal 
for  the  cause;  at  other  times  his  service  was 
purely  perfunctory  and  mercenary.  In  due 
course,  and  especially  with  the  triumph  of 
Christianity,  the  Gospels  began  that  long  alli- 
ance with  the  publishing  interests,  which  have 
made  them  to  be  the  most  widely  circulated 
book  in  history. 

There  is  nothing  of  supernaturalism  in  the 
entire  history  of  this  transmission.  The  books 
are  subject  to  the  same  vicissitudes  as  beset 
other  texts — there  is  no  exemption  from  the 
Law  of  Transmission.  They  are  the  product  of 
their  time,  and  subject  to  its  influences. 

In  reality  the  Greek  text,  as  it  was  first 
circulated  among  the  moderns,  represented  a 
much  later  state  than  has  been  indicated.  For, 
while  the  great  scholar  who  so  finely  served  the 
world  in  this  publication  recognized  the  prin- 
ciple of  collation  and  the  comparison  of  manu- 
script with  manuscript,  he  had  at  hand  less 
than  a  score  of  documents,  and  these  of  me- 
diaeval date.  It  was  quite  impossible  for 
Erasmus  on  so  meager  a  basis  to  develop  canons 
of  criticism  and  to  test  them  by  application  to 

35 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

data  of  suflScient  scope.  What  was  feasible  for 
him  he  did  well,  and  at  any  rate  presented  a 
text  of  sufficient  clarity  to  serve  as  the  basis 
of  the  great  rationalizing  movement  which  fol- 
lowed. This  achievement  places  him  in  the 
forefront  of  those  who  have  loosened  the  bond 
of  tradition  and  set  the  race  free  from  its 
ecclesiastical  bondage.  The  work  of  the  quiet 
scholar  is  often  more  effective  than  the  horta- 
tions  of  the  great  orator  or  the  sword-written 
narratives  of  mighty  captains. 

The  end  of  it  all — if  end  there  can  be  while 
as  yet  buried  cities  hold  their  secrets  and  any 
nook  or  cranny  where  the  merest  scrap  of 
papyrus  remains  hidden  away  is  as  yet  un- 
searched — has  been  the  accumulation  of  a 
thousand  manuscripts  of  varying  degrees  of 
antiquity.  Even  the  most  worthless  of  them 
has  its  value.  If  not  as  an  authority  on  the 
text  itself,  then  as  disclosing  the  processes  by 
which  errors  creep  into  the  transcription.  Pa- 
tient men  have  read  them  all;  have  familiarized 
themselves  with  each  manuscript  until  the 
chirography  acquired  a  personality  and  the 
several  scribes  became  as  men  long  known. 
These  patient  toilers  have  educated  themselves 
for  the  task  by  the  immense  labor  attendant 
upon  such  examinations.  They  have  reduced 
to  an  exact  science  the  field  of  manuscript 
genealogy;   they   have   discerned  its  laws  and 

36 


PROLEGOMENA 

have  classified  its  cases;  they  have  ordered  its 
bewilderment,  until  now  even  the  tyro  may 
walk  the  field  with  a  clear  understanding  of 
the  results  and  the  processes  by  which  they 
have  been  wrought. 

In  particular  there  were  three  problems. 
The  first  was  the  determination  of  the  proc- 
esses by  which  errors  arise.  Some  were  of  the 
eye,  others  of  the  ear,  others  of  the  unwilling 
hand.  These  all  must  be  understood,  so  as  to 
be  applicable  to  the  solution  of  a  given  problem. 
Thus,  presently,  the  canons  of  criticism  were 
developed — a  series  of  rules  by  which  manu- 
scripts could  be  exhaustively  tested  was  formu- 
lated. Thus  equipped  the  textual  critic  was 
prepared  to  enter  upon  the  second  problem — 
the  grouping  of  manuscripts  with  reference  to 
their  origin.  This,  in  the  end,  followed  geo- 
graphical fines.  It  was  inevitable  that  it  should 
be  so;  for  the  intercourse  between  differing 
sections,  while  admitting  of  the  occasional 
exchange  of  manuscripts,  did  not  do  away 
with  the  fact  that  for  the  most  part  the  people 
of  each  section  must  depend  upon  their  own 
scribes  for  the  bulk  of  their  work;  and  these, 
in  turn,  would  use  manuscripts  in  circulation 
in  their  region  as  their  authorities.  So  each 
geographical  group  would  come  to  have  its 
own  peculiarities.  By  attention  to  such  dis- 
tinctions, and  to  others  of  an  equally  decisive 

37 


DID   JESUS   WRITE  HIS  OWN   GOSPEL 

nature,  it  became  possible  to  determine  the 
lines  of  descent  and  to  choose  the  earlier  and 
more  authoritative  manuscript  of  each  group. 
The  study  requisite  to  these  determinations 
would  also  enable  an  estimate  of  the  value  of 
each  manuscript  group,  or  of  particular  docu- 
ments where  they  were  outstanding  in  their 
characteristics. 

All  such  work  was  but  preliminary  to  the 
final  and  vital  phase  of  the  problem — the  resto- 
ration of  the  text  to  its  original  form.  How  was 
it  possible  to  bridge  the  chasm  of  three  cen- 
turies which  separate  the  earliest  manuscripts 
from  the  time  of  the  first  composition?  With 
so  many  errors  in  evidence  was  it  not  hopeless 
to  expect  verbal  accuracy?  But  at  this  point 
a  helpful  consideration  occurs.  The  same  con- 
ditions of  individual  transcription  which  led  to 
multiplied  variations  practically  guaranteed  that 
the  same  error  would  not  often  be  made  by 
differing  scribes.  Thus  at  every  point  some 
transcription  would  be  accurate,  excepting  where 
errors  had  been  propagated  from  preceding 
texts.  Wherever,  then,  there  was  a  suspicion 
of  inaccuracy,  a  careful  examination  of  the 
most  ancient  documents  would  give  some  hint 
of  the  original  form.  In  particular  would  it 
be  found  that  certain  texts  of  diverse  origin 
would,  by  their  agreement,  point  to  a  parentage 
very  early  in  the  history  of  the  transmission. 

88 


PROLEGOMENA 

In  the  end  the  several  editors  came  to  a  prac- 
tical formula,  by  which  the  agreement  of  several 
well-known  and  highly-prized  manuscripts  set- 
tled each  point.  In  case  of  divergence  among 
these  authorities,  a  variety  of  other  considera- 
tions came  into  play,  which  gave  relative 
assurance  as  to  the  original  text.  The  work 
of  each  analyst  was  checked  by  a  hundred 
co-laborers  in  the  field.  The  whole  matter 
was  treated  with  an  astonishing  minutia,  and 
the  consensus  was  equally  remarkable. 

For  three  centuries  the  problem  of  textual 
criticism  was  practically  unrecognized.  The 
modifications  of  the  text  circulated  by  Erasmus 
and  his  contemporaries  were  but  of  the  slightest 
character.  It  was  received  as  of  sufficient 
authority  to  justify  the  theory  of  literal  verbal 
inspiration.  Even  the  versification  and  punctu- 
ation acquired  such  a  character,  while  the 
sanctity  attending  it  was  deemed  to  guarantee 
the  accuracy  of  translation  as  well.  It  seemed 
to  be  a  complete  oracle  of  God,  descending  from 
heaven,  type,  binding,  and  all.  It  may  well 
be  that  this  reputation  postponed  the  day  of 
critical  research  until  circumstances  made  pos- 
sible an  exhaustive  and  scientific  investigation. 

Suddenly  the  romance  of  textual  criticism 
began.  The  impulse  seemed  simultaneously 
to  affect  several  minds.  Romance  it  was  in 
truth.     There  are  tales  of  arduous  toil,  until 

39 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

decades  of  labor  brought  forth  world-changing 
books.  There  are  adventures  on  land  and  sea, 
dangers  of  limb  and  life,  the  excitement  of 
great  discoveries,  the  finding  of  treasures  in 
unexpected  places,  the  rummaging  of  old  garrets, 
the  searching  of  far  monasteries,  the  outwitting 
of  sharp  and  hostile  guardians  of,  to  them, 
unintelligible  manuscripts.  Steadily  the  veil  of 
time  was  pushed  backward  a  little;  the  cen- 
turies gave  up  their  secrets;  the  past  began 
again  to  live.  Curious  customs  of  antiquity 
were  disclosed;  writings  long  erased  were  read 
again  by  the  eye  and  mind  of  strange  peoples. 
The  sacred  and  profane  were  found  in  the 
most  curious  relations.  The  records  of  revela- 
tion became  palimpsests  for  the  inscriptions  of 
blithe  romances.  So  for  a  half  century  the 
research  went  on;  now  and  then  some  great 
discovery  would  stimulate  the  examination  of 
ancient  libraries,  only  to  result  in  fresh  achieve- 
ments. But  whether  in  the  archives  of  great 
cities,  or  in  the  secret  haunts  reached  by  far 
travel,  the  goal  was  ever  the  same — more  texts, 
and,  if  possible,  more  ancient  ones. 

Measured  by  the  difficulties  which  confronted 
them,  by  the  patient  diligence  with  which  they 
wrought,  by  the  definitive  results  achieved,  and 
by  the  importance  of  their  work  in  its  bearing 
upon  the  spiritual  history  of  the  race,  the  great 
men  in  this  field  of  endeavor  deserve  greatly 

40 


PROLEGOMENA 

of  their  fellows.  Nor  can  even  such  a  summary 
of  their  work  as  is  here  presented  be  regarded 
as  complete  without  doing  honor  to  some 
among  them  by  name. 

Among  the  pioneer  editors  the  name  of 
Lachmann  stands  out  as  the  first  to  dispense 
with  the  printed  edition  and  to  appeal  directly 
to  such  manuscripts  as  were  available.  It  was 
a  worthy  hint,  and  followed  with  distinction; 
so  that  nearly  forty  years  later  came  the  monu- 
mental works  of  Tischendorf  in  Germany  and 
Tregelles  in  England.  They  determined  the 
principle  that  agreement  among  the  most  an- 
cient texts  was  a  practical  assurance  of  accuracy; 
they  also  set  forth  these  texts  in  such  a  way 
as  to  establish  their  character  and  reputation. 
But  the  question  of  what  to  do  when  these 
documents  disagreed  still  required  settlement. 
Much  light  was  thrown  upon  this  issue  by  the 
researches  of  Westcott  and  Hort,  who,  in  1881, 
published  their  edition.  They  had  analyzed 
the  characteristics  of  the  several  genealogical 
groups  with  reference  to  their  verbal  fidelity; 
they  had  exhaustively  compared  the  large  mass 
of  patristic  quotation;  their  edition  represented 
the  highest  achievement  of  the  half  century  of 
research.  Since  then  the  activity  has  been  less 
conspicuous.  The  great  issues  were  settled — 
only  minor  points  could  entice  the  scholar  into 
this  particular  field.    Some  variations,  of  course, 

41 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

remained;  but  on  the  whole  the  original  text 
had  been  restored.  No  interpreter  would  thence- 
forward be  embarrassed  by  uncertainty  as  to 
the  real  expression  of  his  author.  In  all  essential 
points  the  restored  text  was  adequately  authori- 
tative. Out  of  the  confusion  had  come  order. 
Patient  research  and  the  insight  of  genius  have 
had  this  abundant  reward.  The  Gospels  are 
before  the  race  in  substantially  the  sequence 
of  letters  in  which  they  were  bodied  forth  after 
their  final  compilation.  There  is,  then,  an 
adequate  basis  for  further  analysis  of  the  books 
themselves.  The  textual  critic  has  wrought  so 
well  at  the  foundation  that  the  higher  critic 
may  confidently  rear  thereon  the  edifice  of  his 
conclusions. 

It  is  apparent,  then,  that  the  Gospels  have 
shared  in  the  vicissitudes  of  their  age;  that 
they  have  not  been  exempt  from  the  working 
of  natural  human  law.  This  justifies  the  ex- 
tension of  the  hypotheses  to  other  aspects  of 
the  general  problem.  But  it  is  also  apparent 
that  the  ingenuity  of  scholars  and  their  prodig- 
ious toil  has  enabled  the  elimination  of  many  of 
the  errors  which  had  been  grafted  by  human 
fallibility;  and  this  raises  the  presumption  that 
in  the  field  of  higher  criticism  an  equally  defini- 
tive result  may  sooner  or  later  be  achieved. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  becomes  natural 
to  inquire  as  to  the  other  conditions  of  the  time 

42 


PROLEGOMENA 

which  have  a  bearing  upon  written  literature. 
Certain  of  these  are  closely  connected  with  the 
mechanism  of  publishing,  as  already  outlined. 
The  high  cost  and  the  difficulty  in  effective  trans- 
mission would  have  their  effect  upon  author- 
ship, as  well  as  upon  the  reader  and  purchaser. 
For  authorship  there  was  no  compensation 
from  the  sale  of  books;  the  transcriber  seems  to 
have  been  entitled  to  the  emoluments,  such  as 
there  were.  Property  in  ideas  was  a  conception 
of  slow  growth ;  in  reality  it  awaited  the  develop- 
ment of  printing  to  become  a  practical  issue. 
Hence  there  was  no  such  thing  as  literary 
piracy,  for  there  was  no  private  property  upon 
which  the  brigands  could  enrich  themselves. 
A  matter  once  given  to  the  public  became  the 
possession  of  whomsoever  wished  to  use  it. 
Nor  was  it  feasible  to  acknowledge  indebtedness 
as  between  men,  for  the  range  of  knowledge 
was  so  limited  that  the  reading  public  would 
be  none  the  wiser  for  the  confession.  In  case  of 
a  few  of  the  classics  or  what,  in  a  literary  sense, 
stood  in  the  same  relation — the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures— there  might  be  some  fortification  by 
quotation.  But  ordinarily  one  was  free  to  use 
the  thoughts  and  expression  of  predecessors  as 
suited  his  own  purpose.  It  was  all  so  much 
grist  brought  to  his  mill. 

The  lack  of  compensation  for  writing  wrought 
in  two  ways.     On  the  one  hand  there  was  an 

43 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

appeal  to  the  favor  of  some  patron  or  other, 
who,  flattered  by  the  attention  of  the  man  of 
genius,  might  throw  some  benefits  in  his  di- 
rection. This  was  the  acknowledged  fashion  of 
the  support  of  literature.  But  naturally  the 
forms  of  literature  were  largely  determined  by 
the  tastes  of  these  patrons.  This  operated  in  the 
direction  of  brevity  and  sententiousness.  The 
prolix  was  ruled  out  by  the  conditions  of  the 
production. 

.  So  also  the  nature  of  the  manuscript  pro- 
duced its  effect.  Where  the  mechanical  charges 
per  word  were  high,  and,  as  has  been  said,  must 
have  been  paid  wage  for  wage,  extensive  works 
of  literature  were  out  of  the  question.  Even 
the  crude  form  of  the  scroll  and  the  bulk  of  the 
writing  material,  whether  papyrus  or  parch- 
ment, compelled  the  same  curtailment  of  the 
outpouring  of  genius.  It  is  quite  remarkable 
how  nearly  all  the  great  works  of  antiquity 
have  this  brevity  which  to  the  modern  renders 
them  almost  insignificant.  It  was  no  accident 
that  Caesar  divided  his  reminiscences  into  such 
brief  but  vivid  recitals  as  can  be  easily  com- 
passed by  the  struggling  school  boy  at  his 
snail's  pace  of  translation  within  the  brief  period 
allotted  for  its  perusal.  Nor  are  the  accounts 
of  Xenophon  expressed  in  less  accommodating 
form.  But  for  this  we  have  to  thank,  not  the 
good  intention  of  the  writers,  but  the  inexor- 

44 


PROLEGOMENA 

able  requirements  of  their  mechanical  material. 
The  great  works  of  Plato  are  within  a  compass 
which  the  modern  philosopher  would  quite 
despise  as  being  hardly  adequate  for  his  Prol- 
egomena. Such  condition  inevitably  affected 
the  style.  When  there  is  allowed  an  author  but 
a  few  words  in  which  to  express  his  burning 
thoughts,  he  must  ponder  not  only  its  essence, 
but  its  expression  as  well.  So  that  a  certain 
sententiousness  becomes  the  hall-mark  of  an- 
tiquity. Cicero  writes  his  charming  essays 
within  rigid  limits,  but  crowds  into  them  so 
much  of  value  that  they  live  as  his  enduring 
monument.  Thus  to  the  exigencies  of  the  time 
is  added  the  example  of  the  masters.  It  becomes 
a  characteristic  of  good  writing  to  say  much  in 
a  brief  thesis. 

The  great  libraries  then  contained  essays 
rather  than  exhaustive  studies  on  the  subjects 
under  consideration.  They  were  rich  in  ex- 
pression, and  deserved  to  be  conned  as  models 
by  subsequent  ages.  The  sacred  library  of  the 
Old  Testament,  with  its  more  than  half  a 
hundred  volumes,  would  be  easily  compressed 
within  the  limits  of  a  single  modern  volume. 
It  was  not  for  naught  that  the  Apostle  Paul 
presented  his  formal  theology  within  the  brief 
space  of  less  than  ten  thousand  words.  Only 
thus  could  he  come  within  the  range  of  easy 
transcription  and  secure  for  himself  a  hearing 

45 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

from  far  multitudes.  On  the  whole  this  was 
a  fair  average  for  a  thesis  intended  to  be  widely 
circulated.  The  result  justified  his  sagacity; 
and  though  the  name  of  the  "Romans"  has 
become  attached  to  it,  it  is  quite  certain  that 
for  the  greater  portion  of  its  contents  it  had 
other  associations  as  well. 

But  even  this  does  not  give  an  adequate 
conception  of  the  fragmentary  character  of 
ancient  literature.  Much  of  it  had  a  brevity 
that  scarcely  seems  to  warrant  a  circulation  at 
all.  If,  however,  it  is  understood  that  private 
circulation  was  the  inevitable  first  form  of  all 
except  a  few  purposed  productions  of  great  men, 
it  can  readily  be  seen  that  a  mere  fragment  was 
as  acceptable  as  a  more  extended  text.  One 
would  hesitate,  indeed,  to  refuse  an  original 
poem  from  Van  Dyke  or  Kipling,  merely  because 
it  was  not  part  of  a  volume.  The  analogy  of 
modern  current  literature  enables  an  under- 
standing on  this  point.  Most  of  this  has  but  a 
transient  existence;  it  is  designed  to  meet  a 
current  need,  and  has,  in  consequence,  a  cor- 
responding brevity  of  form.  So  it  chanced  that 
in  antiquity  brevity  was  no  bar  to  acceptance, 
and,  indeed,  at  times  its  chief  credential.  Who- 
ever came  across  such  incidental  literature  as 
suited  him  might  well  serve  as  his  own  scribe 
and  secure  for  himself  a  copy.  He  might  even 
aspire  to  collection  of  such  brevities,  and  thus, 

46 


PROLEGOMENA 

in  time,  come  to  possess  a  "  book  "  in  the  real 
sense  of  the  term. 

The  evidence  on  this  point  is  complete.  In 
the  New  Testament  literature,  for  example, 
are  preserved  at  least  three  compositions  of 
approximately  three  hundred  words  each,  several 
others  of  but  little  more  than  five,  while  a  con- 
siderable percentage  is  less  than  a  thousand 
words  in  length.  These  facts  estabhsh  the 
proposition.  When  the  difficulties  attending 
their  preservation  are  considered,  and  the  prob- 
ability that  a  small  bit  of  papyrus  would  be 
neglected  and  lost,  as  well  as  the  comparatively 
low  estimate  which  would  be  placed  on  such  a 
message  as  contrasted  with  more  pretentious 
documents,  it  is  evident  that  their  survival 
in  any  considerable  numbers  indicates  an  orig- 
inal abundance. 

It  has  already  been  hinted,  but  the  im- 
portance of  the  matter  justifies  a  formal  as- 
sertion and  discussion,  that  nearly  all  literature 
which  has  survived  had  its  inception  in  a  per- 
sonal relation;  that  is  to  say,  it  was  written 
with  some  particular  individual  or  group  of 
individuals  in  view.  Its  chance  of  survival  de- 
pended more  upon  them  than  upon  the  wish 
or  purpose  of  the  author.  In  a  sense  the  in- 
itiative lay  with  the  recipient.  There  is  a  mod- 
ern analogy  which  helps  to  an  understanding. 
Some  of  the  greatest  and  most  satisfying  of  the 

47 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

poems  of  the  New  England  group,  Longfellow, 
Lowell,  and  Holmes,  were  written  for  gatherings 
of  one  or  another  kind,  sometimes  a  wholly 
private  assembly,  at  others  a  quasi-public. 
But  the  further  publicity  of  their  contributions 
lay  with  the  listeners,  in  so  far  at  least  as  the 
plaudits  with  which  they  welcomed  the  pro- 
duction, and  the  specific  expression  that  it 
should  have  a  wider  hearing  led  to  the  publica- 
tion. So  also  the  papers  written  for  learned 
societies  or  conventions  of  one  or  another  kind 
are  deemed  the  property  of  the  audience,  and 
published  by  them,  or  allowed  to  languish, 
without  further  recognition.  Once  again  many 
documents  intended  to  have  a  wide  circulation 
are,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  addressed  to  some 
notable  person,  and  then,  in  the  form  of  an 
open  letter,  or  as  a  letter  given  to  the  public 
by  the  recipient,  attract  even  more  attention 
than  their  subject  matter  might  seem  to  warrant. 
These,  of  course,  do  not  constitute  a  perfect 
parallel,  but  they  serve  partially  to  illuminate 
the  matter  and  to  make  it  clear  that  this  initial 
process  had  some  positive  advantages.  It  con- 
stituted a  near  approach  to  editorial  super- 
vision. 

One  can  readily  understand  that  if  an  am- 
bitious writer  were  dependent  upon  the  favor 
of  some  patron  that  he  would  not  merely  dedi- 
cate the  work  to  him,  but  would  also  so  embody 

48 


PROLEGOMENA 

his  ideas  that  it  might  seem  to  be  wholly  ad- 
dressed to  the  person  whom  he  hoped  to  interest. 
The  natural  form  of  such  a  production  would 
grow  out  of  this  personal  relation.  Its  success 
would  in  a  large  measure  depend  upon  its  inti- 
mate appeal;  and,  being  successful,  such  a 
type  would  influence  all  aspirants  who  followed. 
Thus  a  literary  tradition  would  develop. 

As  a  result  we  have  an  astonishing  number 
of  Epistles,   particularly   in  Roman  literature. 
Yet  in  many  instances  there  is  nothing  in  the 
subjects  discussed  which  required  the  personal 
treatment.      So    Seneca    writes    his    thesis    on 
Consolation,  and  addresses  it  to  one  whom  he 
deemed  might  be  able  to  secure  his  recall  from 
exile;  shrewdly  he  takes  the  opportunity  of  a 
bereavement  to  induce  this  attention  to  him- 
self.   So  also  Lucretius  has  made  a  formal  prof- 
fer of  his  noble  poem,  "De  Natura  Rerum," 
to  a  friend  and  patron.     So  writes  Pliny;  and, 
indeed,  a  score  of  others.     The  principle  of  the 
matter  is  the  relation  of  literature  to  the  world 
upon  which  it  was  dependent.    In  a  lesser  way, 
then,  the  same  principle  would  apply  to  much  of 
ordinary    intercourse;    if    some   fragment   of    a 
letter  seemed  worth  preserving  or  had  a  more 
general  interest,  it  might  well  be  copied,  and 
these  copies  multiplied.    Thus  even  fragments, 
without  preface  or  conclusion,  would  be  strewn 
over  the  world  of  letters. 
4  49 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

So  also  the  memoranda  of  events  might 
come  to  be  made.  Some  matter  of  interest 
having  transpired,  a  man  of  literary  impulse 
would  readily  jot  it  down  for  future  use.  Thus 
would  he  equip  himself  for  epistolary  activity 
when  circumstances  required.  The  essential 
thing  to  be  borne  in  mind  is  the  naturalness 
and  ease  with  which  fragmentary  literature  was 
developed,  and  to  what  an  extent  it  was  charac- 
teristic of  the  age. 

An  appreciation  of  this  leads  also  to  an  ap- 
preciation of  the  notable  degree  in  which  books 
were  developed  by  combination  and  interpola- 
tion. Any  one  having  a  number  of  memoranda 
and  fragments  of  letters  at  hand  might  readily 
desire  that  they  should  be  copied  upon  a  single 
scroll.  This,  indeed,  would  be  the  first  dictate 
of  prudence.  In  such  a  shape  they  would  be 
conveniently  accessible;  and,  having  risen  to 
the  dignity  of  a  *'book,"  the  prospects  for  their 
circulation  would  be  greatly  increased.  But 
such  a  manuscript  would  also  become  subject  to 
the  passion  for  commentary  that  seems  to  have 
possessed  the  minds  of  not  a  few  of  the  reading 
public.  The  margins  of  the  scroll  and  the 
double  space  between  the  columns  seemed  to 
invite  such  notation.  In  due  time  a  mass  of 
data  would  thus  be  accumulated.  It  would 
have  some  value  and  a  confused  relation  to  the 
text.     But  its  very  presence  would  compel  a 

50 


PROLEGOMENA 

recopying  of  the  text  with  such  notation  in- 
corporated with  more  or  less  felicity  into  the 
body  of  the  book. 

In  such  a  way  a  hybrid  literary  production 
would  be  developed.  It  would  have  a  particular 
value  to  the  special  group  which  was  repre- 
sented in  its  production.  Presently,  as  the 
group  dissolved,  other  copies  would  be  made; 
and  thus  a  circulation  begun  which  might  go 
far,  but  which,  in  its  every  phase,  would  be 
typical  of  the  time. 

On  a  larger  scale  than  this  books  were 
combined  of  purpose.  Briefer  ones  might  lend 
themselves  to  the  purpose  of  an  author  and  be 
absorbed  in  their  entirety  in  the  body  of  his 
text.  This,  of  course,  without  recognition  as 
to  the  source  of  the  appropriated  section,  or, 
indeed,  unless  the  style  differed  any  indication 
that  it  was  not  from  his  own  hand.  In  such  a 
wise  has  it  been  discovered  that  one  of  the 
great  Christian  apologies  was  made  part  of  a 
romance  and  put  in  the  mouth  of  the  hero 
when  he  pleaded  for  his  faith  before  a  heathen 
monarch.  If  an  example  so  extreme  be  in  evi- 
dence, it  is  quite  clear  that  lesser  appropriations 
would  constantly  occur.  The  fact  that  there  was 
no  property  in  literature  made  this  an  easy  and 
natural  consummation.  There  was  not  only  no 
redress,  but  it  is  probable  that  the  idea  that  a 
wrong  had  thus  been  done  did  not  enter  the 

51 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

mind  even  of  the  one  whose  thoughts  were 
thus  utilized.  Rather  the  increased  circulation 
would  be  a  satisfaction  to  him.  So  also  in  the 
general  course  of  reading,  if  some  passage  re- 
called another,  an  effective  note  might  be  made, 
and  in  due  time  the  parallel  passage  would 
become  a  part  of  the  text  itself. 

The  distinction  had  previously  been  made 
between  the  several  modes  of  circulation.  These 
were  seen  to  be  three:  First,  private  transcrip- 
tion; secondly,  the  assistance  of  local  scribes; 
and  thirdly,  the  regular  publication  by  those 
who  were  engaged  in  the  trade.  It  now  appears 
that  each  of  these  stages  represent  as  well  a 
phase  of  book-making.  Brief  letters  and  memo- 
randa, excerpts  of  importance,  reminiscences  of 
one  kind  and  another,  letters  that  were  deemed 
worthy  of  preservation — these  were  the  natural 
and  legitimate  objects  of  private  transcription. 
In  point  of  fact,  by  such  means  these  literary 
fragments  frequently  attained  an  extensive  cir- 
culation. Presently,  however,  the  services  of 
a  scribe  would  be  available,  and  more  extensive 
documents  would  become  feasible.  He  would 
either  himself  bring  the  fragments  together  or 
would  be  employed  because  some  one  else  had 
done  so,  and  thus  created  the  occasion  for  his 
service.  So  also  the  longer  letters,  the  more 
connected  narratives,  the  favorite  sections  of 
larger  works  would  be  proper  subjects  of  his 

52 


PROLEGOMENA 

skill.  When  these  processes  had  developed  to  a 
point  where  unity  and  force  had  become  char- 
acteristics of  a  production,  when  the  recognition 
of  these  qualities  was  widespread,  the  book- 
maker would  take  it  in  hand.  So  also  when 
some  associated  discipleship  could  guarantee  a 
market  for  such  wares,  several  books  of  a 
Master  might  be  purposely  prepared  and  sent 
forth.  Instances  not  a  few  attest  the  prevalence 
of  such  a  process. 

Having  thus  set  forth  the  general  conditions 
of  literary  circulation  and  the  processes  of 
authorship,  it  becomes  pertinent  to  inquire  to 
what  extent  these  are  in  evidence  in  early 
Christian  literature.  It  is  fitting  to  advert  to  the 
sacred  literature  which  preceded  it  as  well. 
So  far  as  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament  are 
concerned,  they  are  a  commentary  upon  the 
principles  elaborated.  Particularly  do  we  find 
the  principle  of  literary  fragments  and  of  com- 
bination at  work.  Six  or  eight  of  its  so-called 
*' books"  are  the  merest  bits  of  oracular  utter- 
ance preserved  by  some  unique  favoritism  of 
fortune.  But  the  larger  books  are  confessedly 
of  the  nature  of  compilations  in  many  instances. 
Isaiah  brings  together  the  prophecies  spoken 
upon  many  different  occasions.  It  is,  in  fact, 
made  up  of  unrelated  oracles.  So,  in  large 
degree,  with  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel;  while  Daniel 
is  a  combination  from  differing  tongues.     It  is 

53 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

possible  that  in  the  major  instances  the  prophets 
may  have  edited  their  own  work;  but  the  whole 
analogy  of  history  suggests  rather  that  this 
was  done  for  them  by  some  disciple,  whose 
deep  fidelity  to  his  Master  was  thus  evidenced. 
There  appear  also  indubitable  evidences  that 
many  of  the  historical  books  are  simple  ante- 
cedent works  joined  with  such  skill  as  the  rude 
times  permitted.  While  the  books  of  the 
Psalms  and  Proverbs  incorporate  in  their  very 
statements  the  notes  of  the  origin  of  the  several 
parts,  so  that  to  doubt  their  antecedent  history 
is  to  doubt  the  text  itself. 

All  antiquity  of  recorded  times  was  very 
much  of  a  piece.  Progress  which  to  us  is  a 
commonplace  was  for  them  so  leisurely  that 
custom  changed  scarcely  more  with  the  cen- 
turies than  with  us  during  a  decade.  So  that 
these  suggestions  of  the  development  of  Old 
Testament  literature  throw  light  upon  the  con- 
ditions of  the  times  in  which  the  early  Chris- 
tians circulated  their  propaganda.  It  is,  how- 
ever, scarcely  necessary  to  have  recourse  to 
outside  illustration.  The  mere  cataloging  of  the 
contents  of  the  New  Testament  attests  its  con- 
formity to  the  conditions  of  the  time.  Here  are 
epistles,  both  to  individuals  and  to  groups  of 
people;  epistles  drawn  out  by  some  special 
occasion  and  others  in  which  the  form  is  used 
as  a  literary  vehicle.    Some  of  these  are  so  brief 

54 


PROLEGOMENA 

that,  but  for  the  devotion  of  some  individual, 
they  must  have  perished.  Hence  it  can  be  read- 
ily surmised  that  they  came  into  circulation 
through  private  transcription.  In  others  there 
are  specific  directions  for  their  circulation,  that 
the  epistle  should  be  sent  for  perusal  to  farther 
groups.  It  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  that  this 
would  be  done,  when  it  has  been  so  prized  as  to 
come  to  us,  unless  a  copy  were  made  of  the  same. 
And  if  valuable  for  two  groups,  by  all  common 
reasoning,  then  of  interest  to  the  other  groups 
as  well.  Thus  by  simple  courtesy  would  a 
letter  become  circulated  far  and  near. 

It  is  quite  clear,  also,  that  these  letters 
were  brought  together  into  a  common  document 
in  due  season,  for  so  we  have  had  them  for  many 
centuries,  and  so,  indeed,  are  they  almost 
always  found  in  association.  Hence  the  prin- 
ciple of  compilation  is  attested. 

There  appear  also  in  many  cases  such 
glosses  and  comments  as  could  not  have  been 
in  the  original.  In  some  instances  the  di- 
vergence among  the  manuscripts  is  proof  of 
this.  In  others  the  interruption  to  the  flow  of 
thought  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  must  have 
been  interpolated.  In  other  cases  there  is  a 
clear  annexation  of  passages  from  other  texts. 
So  abundant  are  these  instances  that  we  must 
presume  them  to  have  come  into  their  present 
association  by  way  of  the  marginal  comment. 

55 


DID   JESUS    WRITE    HIS   OWN    GOSPEL 

It  is  notable  also  that  in  the  Book  of  Acts 
at  least  there  is  the  frankest  association  of  docu- 
ments of  divers  origin.  So  that  by  the  simple 
confession  of  the  author  and  the  actual  ex- 
posure of  the  process  it  is  seen  that  a  com- 
bination of  previously  existing  books  has  been 
achieved.  Thus  the  tendency  of  the  age  to 
assume  for  one's  own  whatever  seemed  adapted 
to  the  purpose  in  hand  is  sufficiently  illustrated 
by  these  conditions.  In  this  book  also  there  is 
shown  the  relation  between  an  author  and  his 
patron,  for,  while  there  may  have  been  more 
of  friendship  than  dependence,  none  the  less 
the  whole  case  is  formed  upon  the  standard  of 
the  times,  and  constitutes  one  of  the  aptest 
instances. 

Recurring  then  to  the  major  premise,  that 
literature  is  inevitably  the  product  of  its  age, 
we  find  that  there  is  here  no  exception.  Pre- 
cisely the  same  influences  are  at  work  determin- 
ing form  and  method  of  presentation  as  moved 
other  men  among  the  contemporaneous  writers. 
We  see  books  coming  into  ultimate  form  by  a 
miscellaneous  process  of  selection;  that  survival 
is  determined  quite  independently  of  the  pur- 
poses of  the  author;  sometimes  the  trivial  re- 
mains and  the  vital  seems  evanescent.  The  same 
antecedent  processes  are  in  operation.  In  no 
point  then  is  there  an  exception;  the  whole 
case  is  so  clear  that  even  a  mere  summary  of 

5Q 


PROLEGOMENA 

the  conditions  so  establishes  the  fact  that  the 
utmost  ingenuity  would  seek  in  vain  to  make 
out  the  contrary  case.  Whatever  of  inspiration 
produced  this  literature  it  did  not  emancipate 
men  from  the  tendencies  of  their  age  so  far  as 
form  and  presentation  were  concerned.  We 
can  not  regard  this  literature  as  in  a  class  by 
itself  and  produced  by  special  methods,  but  we 
must  apply  to  it  the  same  interpretative  pro- 
cesses as  are  justified  in  other  instances.  This 
then  is  an  immense  gain.  It  enables  the  determi- 
nation of  critical  canons;  it  gives  a  broad  range 
of  comparison.  It  rules  out  that  attitude  of 
mind  which  finds  a  miracle  in  every  apparent 
exception.  It  opens  the  way  for  sober  processes 
of  criticism,  by  which  the  content  as  well  as 
the  form  are  examined  as  to  their  real  value. 
The  same  mental  attitude  which  has  been 
fruitful  in  so  many  directions  becomes  appli- 
cable to  this  greatest  of  historical  problems 
— its  results  become  matter  of  the  highest  con- 
cern. 

It  was  natural  that  these  views  should  first 
dawn  upon  the  minds  of  men  who  were  least 
under  the  influence  of  the  "exemption"  theory; 
that  is  to  say,  upon  those  who  on  other  grounds 
were  disposed  to  deny  the  reality  of  inspiration. 
To  them  these  facts  would  serve  as  a  premise 
for  a  conclusion  already  established.  But  in 
their  hands  it  would  constitute  an  argument 

57 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

hostile  to  the  cause  of  Christianity;  and  this 
not  because  such  use  is  written  on  the  face  of 
the  data,  but  because  of  bias  and  predisposition. 
Their  attitude  for  all  the  contrary  pretense  was 
polemical  and  not  scientific.  The  instinctive 
response  to  this  was  a  call  to  arms,  the  brandish- 
ing of  epithets,  a  burst  of  bitterness,  alike 
foolish  and  ineffective.  The  simple  and  natural 
attitude  should  have  been  a  careful  scrutiny  of 
the  evidence,  by  dispassionate  men  of  all  minds. 
This  indeed  came  later,  but  not  until  the  whole 
matter  had  become  a  theme  for  exaggerated 
controversy,  from  the  influence  of  which  it  has 
not  yet  recovered.  But  happily  these  days  are 
passed — the  highway  of  investigation  is  open 
to  any  man  who  chooses  to  walk  therein. 

The  span  of  the  nineteenth  century  prac- 
tically covers  the  discussion.  The  first  investi- 
gations were  sporadic  and  tentative;  men  were 
feeling  their  way.  Nor  could  attention  be 
focused  upon  it  until  some  mind  had  assim- 
ilated them  in  a  cohesive  whole  and  presented 
them  in  some  totality.  This  was  done  by  Baur 
and  Strauss  in  their  famous  mythical  theory,  by 
which  they  affirmed  that  stories  of  a  certain 
type  come  to  get  themselves  believed  and  then 
aggregate  around  some  personality,  real  or 
fancied.  The  one  supreme  criticism  on  such  an 
analysis  is  the  proposition  which  has  just  been 
elaborated,  that  literature  is  the  product  of  its 

58 


PROLEGOMENA 

age;  and  when  all  is  said  the  age  of  Jesus  was 
not  an  age  of  myth — ^it  was,  in  fact,  as  coldly 
critical  as  any  before  or  since.  Thus  the  very 
thesis  which  justifies  the  investigation  rules 
this  and  all  kindred  theories  out.  Time  has 
been  when  myths  were  developed;  but  it  was 
an  age-long  process,  and  before  recorded  time. 

Equally  untenable  were  the  views  of  Renan, 
and  this  for  the  same  reason  applied  in  an  op- 
posite direction.  The  myth-makers  had  placed 
their  data  a  millennium  toward  the  dawn  of 
history;  this  great  romancer  had  brought  it  to 
contemporaneous  France  and  interpreted  it  with 
the  charm  and  feeling  of  an  ardent  imagination. 
Thus  again  was  the  literature  considered  apart 
from  the  age  in  which  it  was  produced. 

Happily,  and  owing  largely  to  the  triumphs 
of  Old  Testament  investigation,  more  sober 
and  natural  methods  began  to  prevail.  Before 
the  interpretation  could  be  effective  the  docu- 
ments must  be  properly  placed.  So  criticism 
centered  upon  various  hypotheses  as  to  the 
origin  of  the  several  Gospels. 

Its  first  conclusions,  hailed  then  as  a  great 
triumph,  have  in  the  course  of  time  been  re- 
versed. This  at  least  emphasizes  the  need  of 
caution,  and  justifies  the  presentation  of  new 
facts  at  any  time,  no  matter  how  revolutionary 
of  accepted  theories  they  may  appear.  Even 
in  the  late  seventies,  John  Fiske  reviewing  some 

59 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

book*  upon  the  subject  speaks  of  the  demon- 
strated and  accepted  fact,  the  most  assured  of 
all  results  that  the  Book  of  Mark  was  the  last 
of  the  Synoptic  Gospels  to  be  written.  Now, 
by  a  happy  change  of  fortune,  it  is  regarded  as 
the  initial  production  and  basic  to  the  other 
two. 

There  is  in  the  foregoing  paragraph  a  hint 
of  the  fundamental  analysis  which  is  now  made 
by  all  scholars.  Of  the  four  books  of  the  Gos- 
pels, three  are  alike  both  in  matter  and  view- 
point— they  see  eye  to  eye.  The  fourth  is 
unique  in  contents  and  its  presentation.  From 
a  literary  point  of  view  the  productions  are 
scarcely  to  be  compared.  From  an  historical 
view  there  is  contradiction  and  confusion.  So 
criticism  had  naturally  disassociated  the  two. 
Thus  there  are  three  distinct  problems — the 
origin  of  the  Synoptic  group,  including  of  course 
their  interrelations;  secondly,  the  origin  and 
development  of  the  Book  of  John;  and  thirdly, 
the  relation  which  the  two  groups  sustain  to 
each  other. 

In  spite  of  the  caution  as  to  the  tentative 
nature  of  the  investigation,  it  seems  possible 
to  speak  of  some  results  as  now  assured.  Fore- 
most among  these  is  the  recognition  that  the 
Gospels  are  the  product  of  the  literary  customs 

*"  Jesus  of  History,"  pp.  99,  108,  Vol.  VI.  Standard  Edition 
Miscellaneous  Works  of  John  Fiske. 

60 


PROLEGOMENA 

of  the  age.  No  more  than  the  other  portions  of 
the  New  Testament  are  they  exempt  from 
contemporaneous  influences.  The  recognition 
of  this  truth  is  most  fruitful  in  the  documentary 
theory  of  their  composition.  This  may  now  be 
taken  as  a  demonstration.  So  far  as  the  synop- 
tics are  concerned,  the  tradition  of  the  ApostoHc 
Age,  the  relation  and  interdependence  of  the 
completed  books,  and  the  confession  of  the 
author  of  one  of  them  sufficiently  establishes 
the  fact.  So  far  as  the  Book  of  John  is  con- 
cerned, it  is  established  by  the  addition  of  the 
closing  chapter  to  a  work  already  brought  to 
completion,  and  the  recognition  by  the  most 
eminent  scholars  that  at  least  one  incident 
has  been  interpolated  in  the  text.  These  two 
passages  are  sufficient  to  establish  the  propo- 
sition; so  that  it  would  only  remain  to  work 
out  the  degree  in  which  the  process  had  been 
effective. 

There  is  also  a  consensus  of  agreement  as  to 
the  dates  of  the  completed  books  of  the  Synop- 
tic group.  They  assumed  their  present  form 
during  the  last  third  of  the  first  century — a 
generation  after  the  events  which  they  describe. 
In  the  case  of  the  Book  of  John,  it  is  quite  other- 
wise. Unfortunately  the  issue  has  been  ob- 
scured by  theological  imphcations;  for  the 
contents  of  the  book  are  so  tremendous  in  their 
value  one  way  or  another  that  a  priori  considera- 

61 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

tions  have  had  more  weight  than  Hterary  data. 
It  may  suflBce  to  say  that  the  earhest  date  for 
which  contention  is  made  is  the  last  decade 
of  the  First  Century. 

It  is  quite  obvious  that  the  chief  interest 
must  shift  from  the  books  themselves  to  the 
elements  of  which  they  are  composed.  The 
antecedent  documents  become  the  matter  of 
chief  concern,  for  the  text  as  it  stands  can  have 
no  higher  historical  or  inspirational  value  than 
the  several  factors  of  which  it  is  composed. 
If  these  assured  results  seem  rather  meager,  it 
must  be  also  remembered  that  many  facts  have 
been  established,  from  which  unexceptional 
inferences  are  yet  to  be  drawn.  The  industry 
of  scholars  has  been  prodigious;  their  analysis 
has  been  keen,  their  ingenuity  penetrating. 
The  failure,  so  far  as  it  may  be  so  characterized, 
has  been  on  the  synthetic  side.  This  gives  rise 
to  the  supposition  that  some  piece  of  evidence, 
vital  to  the  solution,  has  not  yet  been  sufficiently 
emphasized.  It  justifies,  and  even  demands, 
further  work  in  the  same  field  and  the  careful 
presentation  of  new  data. 

The  major  premise  of  this  argument,  that 
all  literature  is  the  product  of  its  age,  requires 
the  consideration  of  another  aspect  of  liter- 
ature as  related  to  the  Apostolic  Age.  Thus 
far  our  analysis  has  concerned  the  written 
forms.    But  it  is  clear  that  where  so  much  diffi- 

62 


PROLOGOMENA 

culty  attended  the  reduction  of  the  hterature 
to  writing  and  its  subsequent  circulation,  that 
other  forms  may  well  have  been  in  vogue.  In 
point  of  fact  these  forms  far  antedated  the  use 
of  writing  materials,  which  in  the  beginning 
were  cumbrous  beyond  common  use.  In  those 
days,  however,  there  was  no  lack  of  literature 
of  one  or  another  kind. 

Some  of  the  great  motifs  of  poetry  have 
their  origin  in  folklore,*  wherein  is  all  manner 
of  appeal  to  the  primitive  human  nature. 
These  tales  centered  inevitably  about  the  an- 
cestral heroes,  who  in  the  course  of  the  years 
loomed  so  large  and  heroic  as  to  assume  the 
stature  of  gods.  In  time  the  tales  assumed  classic 
form,  so  that  the  recital  would  proceed  along 
fixed  lines  to  the  inevitable  climax.  Touched 
by  genius  these  became  the  great  epics.  So 
Homer  sang,  while  all  his  world  listened.  In 
more  incidental  form  tales  circulated  that  be- 
came the  material  for  the  primitive  historian, 
who  in  simple  faith  transcribed  them  in  all 
their  literalness. 

It  is  clear  then  that  no  great  literature  is 
or  can  be  free  from  the  oral  element.  That 
much  of  what  we  esteem  in  antiquity  had  this 
origin.  Nor  for  the  mass  of  the  race  had  there 
been  such  advances  in  culture  as  to  displace 

*  Note  6. 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

these  forms.  Quite  the  contrary,  the  bulk  of 
literature,  even  in  the  later  centuries,  had  its 
origin  in  the  exigencies  of  vocal  utterance. 
How  much  does  not  the  fame  of  the  classic 
centuries  owe  to  the  great  orators?  Cicero, 
Demosthenes,  Lysias,  even  Isaiah  are  cases  in 
point. 

We  are,  moreover,  to  conceive  the  pieces  of 
formal  literature  as  in  most  cases  being  read 
before  a  selected  audience,  and  thus  making 
their  debut  into  the  world  of  letters.  Much 
then  would  depend  upon  effective  reading,  the 
favor  of  a  prospective  patron  would  sometimes 
be  in  the  balance,  the  plaudits  of  the  listeners 
would  be  the  author's  most  immediate  reward. 
Indeed,  if  this  were  to  be  followed  by  some 
substantial  gift,  the  best  hopes  of  the  writer 
would  have  been  realized.  These  influences 
affected  both  poetry  and  prose;  the  former 
perhaps  lent  itself  more  naturally  to  the  system 
by  which  it  had  been  evolved.  If  much  of  the 
prose  literature  took  the  form  of  epistles,  it  is 
quite  certain  that  these,  when  they  had  been 
received,  became  oral.  So  that  the  idea  of 
resonance  and  effective  phrasing  could  never 
be  absent  from  the  mind  of  one  who  hoped  to 
secure  fame  as  an  author. 

The  chief  schools  of  literature  were  those 
of  the  rhetorician;  and  these  had  the  ability 
to  speak  in  public  as  the  goal  of  their  teaching. 

64 


PROLEGOMENA 

On  every  hand  the  evidence  multiphes  con- 
cerning the  prevalence  of  speech  as  the  real 
medium  for  the  communication  of  ideas.  The 
forum  and  the  market  place  were  not  only  the 
positions  of  public  influence,  the  media  for  the 
circulation  of  news,  but  they  were  the  places  in 
which  new  ideas  of  every  sort  had  their  more 
natural  expression. 

Under  these  circumstances  there  developed 
a  form  of  literature  particularly  adapted  for 
public  expression,  and  to  impress  itself  on  the 
minds  of  men  so  as  to  be  held  in  memory.  It 
was  part  of  the  general  educational  scheme  that 
the  memory  should  be  trained.  Frequently 
Greek  youths  were  the  masters  of  the  entire 
Iliad,  and  much  else  of  the  great  epics.  The 
capacity  for  this  was  helpful  in  all  lesser  appeals 
to  the  memory.  So  that  a  speaker  could  have 
a  reasonable  confidence  that  some  at  least 
among  his  auditors  would  take  with  him  as  a 
permanent  possession  such  choice  phrases  as 
he  might  choose  for  the  embodiment  of  his 
thought. 

The  making  of  such  phrases  had  become  an 
art  long  before  it  was  practicable  to  write  them. 
Proverbs  come  from  the  early  dawn  of  human 
society.  Some  are  common  to  all  peoples. 
There  is,  however,  something  unique  in  the 
process,  so  that  few  men  have  had  a  real  facility 
in  their  production.    It  is  one  thing  to  utter  a 

5  65 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

felicity  that  will  please  a  few  minds,  and  quite 
another  to  give  world-wide  currency  to  some 
idea.  It  is  Sidney  Smith  who  says  that  the 
ancients  had  an  unfair  advantage  in  this 
respect,  and  were  able  to  say  many  of  the 
best  things  first.  This  is  only  a  partial  expres- 
sion of  the  facts.  They  definitely  aimed  at  such 
results,  and  with  good  effect.  This  was  such  a 
characteristic  of  the  Hebrews,  that  perhaps 
their  most  widely  read  book  was  a  collection  of 
proverbs.  In  reality  it  is  a  compilation  of 
several  collections;  and  this  fact  all  the  more 
emphasizes  its  place  in  their  thought.  The 
proverb  is  generally  very  brief — frequently  but 
the  association  of  two  ideas,  and  nothing  more. 
It  lent  itself  to  the  introduction  of  a  subject, 
and  could  be  elaborated  with  almost  any  degree 
of  ingenuity.  As  a  matter  of  course  their  first 
circulation  was  by  word  of  mouth;  even  as  is 
the  case  in  our  time. 

Closely  akin  in  spirit  to  the  proverb  was  an 
extensive  wisdom  literature.  It  contrasted  with 
the  proverb,  as  a  paragraph  compares  with  a 
sentence.  The  one  was  a  proposition,  the  other 
an  elucidation  or  illustration.  Because  of  its 
larger  bulk  it  required  a  more  elaborate  develop- 
ment of  form.  So  such  features  were  empha- 
sized as  tended  to  fix  in  the  memory  the  pas- 
sage as  a  whole;  sometimes  this  was  achieved 
by  the  use  of  poetic  form,  at  other  times  by  a 

66 


PROLEGOMENA 

remarkable  association  of  ideas.  But  in  either 
case  the  endeavor  was  to  use  mnemonic  values 
and  thus  secure  currency  for  the  teaching.  In 
some  cases  the  results  were  remarkable  and 
constitute  the  oracles  a  part  of  the  world's  best 
literature,  over  which  later  ages  and  alien 
peoples  have  pored  with  delight. 

Because  of  the  prevalence  of  oral  methods, 
personal  contact  between  the  man  with  a 
message  and  such  people  as  were  concerned 
about  it  was  almost  a  necessity.  The  need 
was  supplied  by  the  rise  of  teachers  who  called 
others  into  the  relation  of  discipleship.  To 
them  in  conversation  or  in  set  discourse  they 
imparted  their  best  thought.  So  simple  was 
the  device  that  it  became  characteristic  of  all 
antiquity,  even  as  it  is  yet  of  such  nations  as 
have  not  passed  beyond  the  economic  stage 
of  the  classic  period  of  Greece  and  Rome. 
Scarcely  a  philosopher  passes  across  the  scene 
but  that  we  see  in  his  train  a  number  of  dis- 
ciples, sometimes  younger  men,  but  not  always 
so.  Socrates  is  scarcely  recognizable,  except 
in  such  association.  Sometimes  his  followers 
were  but  transient,  and  then  turned  to  mock 
him;  but  others  among  them  were  with  him 
in  his  martyrdom.  Plato  is  ever  to  be  asso- 
ciated with  the  pleasant  grove  of  his  academy, 
discoursing  of  high  things  with  his  enraptured 
friends.     Aristotle  walks  to  and  fro  in  similar 

67 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

discourse.  Epicurus  calls  his  fellows  into  the  as- 
sociation of  plain  living  and  high  thinking,  and 
an  emancipation  from  the  dread  and  fear  of 
life  and  of  something  evil  after  death.  So  they 
all  pass,  one  following  another  down  the  cor- 
ridors of  time,  and  ever  grouped  in  fascinated 
interest. 

From  such  association  two  forms  of  written 
literature  arose.  In  the  one  we  have  a  recital  of 
various  incidents  which  gave  the  great  man  his 
theme.  Thus  the  "incident"  acquires  a  di- 
dactic value.  Similarly  "conversations"  were 
recorded  with  more  or  less  accuracy.  The  best 
classical  example  is  of  course  the  Memorabilia 
of  Xenophon,  in  which  the  deeds  and  comments 
of  Socrates  are  more  or  less  fully  recited.  But 
where  one  such  incident  came  to  be  a  matter  of 
record,  ten  may  have  been  told  for  a  decade 
after  among  friends,  until  the  oral  tradition  was 
quite  as^vital  to  an  understanding  of  the  mas- 
ter's philosophy  as  the  written  accounts.  Indeed, 
the  writing  would  in  some  instances  be  but  the 
preservation  in  after  years  of  such  stories  as 
had  survived  the  lapse  of  time.  It  is  hardly 
to  be  supposed  that  the  spirit  of  an  amanuensis 
would  have  come  upon  the  disciple  from  the 
first.  Though  indeed  such  things  have  been, 
and  that  more  commonly  in  our  own  age. 

Plato  affords  an  illustration  of  another  type 
of  the  literary  after-effects.     He  also  presents 

68 


PROLEGOMENA 

Socrates  in  conversation  with  his  disciples  or 
rebutting  an  adversary.  But  he  carries  out  the 
plan  with  such  detail  and  with  such  perfect 
literary  skill  that  it  is  quite  clear  that  we  have 
a  Socrates,  illuminated  by  the  genius  of  his 
scarcely  less  distinguished  follower.  There  is 
beyond  question  some  historical  value  in  these 
representations;  but  it  is  difficult  to  separate 
this  from  the  purely  philosophical  element 
contributed  by  the  narrator. 

At  any  rate  it  is  significant  that  there  thus 
came  into  vogue  a  type  of  literature  which  has 
no  effective  parallel  among  the  moderns.  Rus- 
kin  has  made  some  use  of  the  dialogue,  and  so  a 
few  others.  But  this  is  insignificant  in  com- 
parison with  its  large  place  in  antiquity.  Nor 
can  this  prevalence  of  the  Dialogue  as  a  literary 
form  for  the  discussion  of  high  themes  be  under- 
stood, except  as  we  understand  that  it  but 
copied  a  reality  which  was  occurring  in  every 
city,  wherever  a  distinguished  leader  of  thought 
could  get  a  hearing.  It  is  first  hand  evidence  of 
the  attitude  which  such  masters  sustained  to 
their  followers.  Nor  can  we  suppose  that  these 
followers  treated  such  explications  lightly.  The 
master's  utterances  were  to  be  treasured.  And 
if  it  so  be  that  he  phrased  them  with  this  in 
view,  then  indeed  their  lot  was  fortunate;  they 
would  to  a  certainty  pass  these  oracles  on  to 
their   less-favored    friends — perhaps   by   letter, 

69 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

perhaps  by  recital,  perhaps  in  some  form  of 
memoranda.  Why  then  should  not  such  frag- 
mentary relicts  in  due  time  be  brought  to- 
gether, and  being  written  out,  circulate  for 
the  benefit  of  human  kind? 

The  picturesque  appeals  to  the  mind  with  a 
peculiar  power  to  induce  retention.  The  suc- 
ceeding elements  in  an  unfolding  incident  tend 
to  get  themselves  phrased  so  that  there  is  a 
constant  association  of  words  and  ideas.  The 
story  becomes  stereotyped;  hence  it  assumes 
a  literal  permanence.  There  is  a  certain  re- 
ligious institute  in  a  city  of  the  Central  West 
where  the  undoubted  genius  who  founded  it 
sought  to  express  the  ideas  for  which  he  stood 
in  a  series  of  stories  drawn  for  the  most  part 
from  the  common  experiences  of  life.  Scores  of 
youths  have  studied  at  this  shrine.  But  the 
peculiar  fact  is  that  each  of  these  seems  to 
have  carried  away  the  illustrative  material 
before  all  else.  They  use  the  same  story  re- 
peatedly, with  scarcely  a  variation  from  incep- 
tion to  climax.  These  instances  are  not  to  be 
found  in  any  text-book,  nor  do  the  disciples 
consciously  commit  them  to  memory.  But, 
by  the  attrition  of  constant  repetition,  they  had 
come  to  have  a  form  so  artistic,  the  expressions 
had  become  so  adapted  to  the  common  mind, 
that  they  possessed  a  maximum  value  for  the 
purposes  in  hand.     This  is  but  a  modern  in- 

70 


PROLEGOMENA 

stance  of  what,  under  analogous  circumstances, 
was  constantly  transpiring  in  antiquity.  Thus 
around  each  such  master  would  develop  a 
group  of  oral  utterances,  partly  his  own,  and 
partly  about  him  by  his  disciples.  This  would 
come  to  have  a  fixed  form,  and  to  be  almost 
as  permanent  so  long  as  interest  in  the  teaching 
survived,  as  if  it  had  been  committed  to  manu- 
script, and  far  more  effective. 

Once  again,  one  must  advert  to  oral  forms 
in  the  shape  of  the  drama.  The  whole  effect 
dependent  upon  reaching  the  listeners.  Yet 
the  drama  had  a  great  vogue  among  the  peoples 
of  antiquity.  The  great  poets,  then  as  in  later 
ages,  found  its  forms  adapted  to  their  genius; 
it  became  widely  in  vogue,  securing  fame  and 
material  benefits  for  the  playwrights.  Thus 
from  this  direction  also  an  oral  influence  was 
operating  upon  the  literature  of  the  age. 

One  way  and  another,  then,  oral  forms  were 
developed  which  had  a  large  significance  for 
the  people  of  the  time,  and  without  which  no 
great  philosophical  movement  can  be  under- 
stood. The  mode  is  so  characteristic  of  the  time 
that  there  is  a  real  difficulty  for  the  modern  in 
allowing  for  it  in  his  estimate  of  men  and  their 
influence.  But  it  was  frequently  the  case  that 
without  writing  a  line  a  great  teacher  might 
project  his  influence  across  the  generation  and 
transcend  the  boundaries  of  States. 

71 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

When  we  come  to  the  application  of  these 
data  to  the  New  Testament  Literature  we  find 
traces  of  each  of  these  influences.  The  move- 
ment of  Christianity  is  scarcely  to  be  under- 
stood without  allowance  for  the  orator.  Some 
suggestions  of  this  come  down  to  us  in  re- 
production of  a  few  typical  speeches,  while  the 
spell  of  eloquence  of  one  or  another  is  clearly 
indicated  in  the  narratives  or  in  allusions  in 
epistles.  More  than  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
new  religion  gained  a  reputation  for  genuine 
oratorical  power — so  Peter,  so  Paul,  so  ApoUos — 
and  these  three  indeed  were  the  subjects  of 
tentative  divisions  in  at  least  one  Church.  And 
if  the  speech  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  despite  his 
disclaimer,  approximated  in  power  the  eloquence 
of  some  portions  of  his  epistles,  it  is  quite  clear 
that  he  had  a  compelling  address.  Yet  even 
he,  in  the  flush  of  youth,  was  not  able  to  gain- 
say the  wisdom  and  unction  with  which  Stephen 
spoke. 

We  are  greatly  indebted  for  our  knowledge 
of  the  early  Christian  era  to  the  fact  that 
epistles  were  in  reality  public  documents,  to  be 
read  in  the  assemblies  of  the  faithful.  Hence 
copies  multiplied;  but  hence  also  the  phrase- 
ology had  a  peculiar  power  to  fasten  itself  upon 
the  mind.  Paul  is  the  most  quotable  of  the 
ancients,  and  one  surmises  intentionally  so. 
His  letters  abound  in  passages  that  may  well 

72 


PROLEGOMENA 

have  had  a  separate  prior  existence  and  been 
incorporated  because  they  represented  his  best 
expression  of  thought.  Some  of  them  are  classic 
in  their  phraseology,  and  as  such  contribute 
greatly  to  the  tendency  to  consider  texts  apart 
from  their  context.  But  this  may  well  have 
been  the  intention  of  the  writer.  The  brief 
"Epistles  of  John"  is  evidence  of  the  proverb 
carried  to  the  height  of  wisdom  literature. 
Where  phrase  on  phrase  develops  that  which 
precedes,  but  does  this  in  such  a  way  as  to 
spell  itself  into  the  memory,  so  perfect  is  the 
balance  of  the  parts.  James  also  has  made  use 
of  this  form.  Both  of  these  little  books  are  in 
reality  brief  collections  of  oracular  utterances, 
intended  to  be  carried  in  the  mind  rather  than 
in  the  scroll. 

We  come  then  to  the  teacher  and  his  dis- 
ciples. They  abounded  in  Palestine  in  the 
early  Christian  era.  Such  were  many  of  the 
rabbis.  So  Saul  of  Tarsus  sat  at  the  feet  of 
the  wise  Gamaliel.  Concerning  him  and  Hillel 
as  well  as  others  of  these  great  teachers  there 
have  survived  many  incidents  which  illustrate 
their  teaching  and  its  modes.  This  is  precisely 
in  the  form  indicated  as  characteristic  of  the 
age.  Paul  himself  seems  to  have  had  his  school 
of  disciples.  Very  naturally  its  membership 
fluctuated,  but  he  went  about  commonly  ac- 
companied by   six  or  eight   of  these  younger 

73 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

men.  In  due  season  they  in  turn  went  forth 
to  become  instructors  in  one  or  another  place. 
He  seems  to  have  estabhshed  himself  in  more 
than  one  city  in  a  definite  place  and  invited  the 
attention  of  such  as  were  disposed  to  disciple- 
ship.  Concerning  his  experience  various  inci- 
dents have  survived,  and  have  been  narrated 
with  charming  simplicity  by  one  of  his  disciples. 
It  is  the  relation  of  Socrates  and  Xenophon 
over  again. 

These  instances  are  suJBScient  to  establish 
the  general  parallel  between  the  oral  literature 
of  the  classic  age  and  the  literature  of  the  New 
Testament  in  its  first  form.  They  hint  also 
the  processes  in  part  by  which  much  of  it  was 
reduced  to  writing  and  came  to  be  aggregated 
in  its  present  relations.  There  is  in  this  nothing 
mysterious  or  transcendental.  It  was  common- 
sense  seeking,  as  effectively  as  might  be,  to  reach 
its  age  with  a  message  believed  to  be  of  supreme 
import. 

There  is  thus  abundant  justification  in  seek- 
ing the  prior  forms  of  the  Gospels  along  these 
lines.  Certainly  they  did  not  spring  into  exist- 
ence full  fledged — the  building  process  is  too 
clearly  in  evidence.  One  almost  sees  the  work- 
men leaving  the  building — here  a  scaffold  is 
not  entirely  removed,  here  a  joining  has  not 
been  carefully  made.  Here  some  unused  frag- 
ment has  been  carried  over  to  another  task; 

74 


PROLEGOMENA 

here  an  addition  has  been  made  to  the  earlier 
structure;  the  timber,  however,  is  not  quite 
the  same,  and  different  workmen  have  wrought 
it  into  shape.  The  only  question  is  this.  Are 
these  vestiges  sufficient  to  enable  a  recon- 
struction of  the  details  of  the  process?  Without 
venturing  an  early  answer  it  will  be  well  to  look 
them  over  with  great  care;  to  interpret  them 
in  the  light  of  current- usages;  to  eliminate  the 
miraculous  as  an  explanation  of  form;  and  to 
seek  a  sober  relating  of  all  the  facts  in  the 
case,  uninfluenced  by  prior  theory. 

The  fundamental  proposition  thus  far  elab- 
orated is  this,  "All  literature  is  vitally  related 
to  the  age  in  which  it  is  produced."  The  New 
Testament  has  been  deemed  by  many  to  be 
exempt  from  this  proposition  and  to  constitute 
a  singular  exception.  This  pretense  has  been 
examined;  and  when  the  data  is  before  us  it 
appears  that  on  every  count  there  are  clear 
evidences  that  the  New  Testament  came  into 
being  in  response  to  general  social  custom,  and 
that  in  presenting  its  message  the  forms  then 
in  vogue  were  wisely  followed.  The  proof  of 
this  has  been  drawn  from  other  portions  of  the 
collection  than  the  Gospels,  so  as  not  to  an- 
ticipate the  detailed  argument  and  analysis, 
which  would  be  necessary  in  working  out  the 
historic  value  of  these  documents.  But  since 
the  men  and  institution  which  produced  the 

75 


DID   JESUS  WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Gospels  were  also  producing  the  other  Christian 
literature,  the  presumption  is  inevitable  that 
they  did  not  work  differently  in  writing  or  de- 
veloping the  more  important  literature.  Their 
work  was  necessarily  of  a  piece.  So  that  the 
principles  and  methods  thus  described  become 
basic  to  a  study  of  the  Gospel  problem.  In 
this  spirit  then  and  with  this  much  in  mind  an 
advance  may  be  made  to  the  real  question  as 
to  the  preliminary  form  which  is  basic  to  the 
ultimate  Gospels. 


76 


II 

The  Interpolations  in  the  Fourth  Gospel 

There  are  two  incidents  recorded  in  the  Book 
of  John  which  show  the  process  of  book-making 
so  clearly  that  they  are  very  instructive.  The 
first  of  these  is  in  the  eighth  chapter — the 
incident  of  the  "Woman  taken  in  Adultery.'* 
So  clearly  has  textual  science  analyzed  this 
passage,  that  even  in  the  Revised  Versions, 
intended  for  general  perusal,  it  is  bracketed  as 
an  interpolation;  while  the  great  edition  of 
Westcott  and  Hort  removes  it  entirely  from  its 
place  and  presents  it  as  an  appendix.  The 
reason  for  this  certainty  is  in  the  simple  fact 
that  the  oldest  documents  do  not  contain  it. 
Hence  very  clearly  we  have  a  case  of  an  ad- 
dition attempted  after  the  book  had  been,  as 
it  were,  on  the  market.  It  is  quite  clear,  then, 
that  a  book  was  a  growing  thing  constantly 
accreting  this  or  that  passage  as  comment  or 
interpolation,  and  that  even  after  the  Apostolic 
Age  the  process  had  not  wholly  ceased. 

If  now  one  examines  the  context,  he  finds  that 
though   skillfully  inserted  it  is  none  the  less 

77 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

an  intrusion.  W^hen  the  passage  has  been  re- 
moved the  text  closes  again  and  the  narrative 
moves  on  with  entire  continuity.  Indeed,  in 
order  to  place  the  incident,  the  editor  was 
obliged  to  indicate  the  termination  of  the  events 
just  preceding,  and  the  opening  of  a  new  situ- 
ation. The  transition  from  the  incident  to  the 
regular  text  is  not  thus  smoothed  and  seems 
somewhat  abrupt;  there  is  an  entire  change  of 
subject  matter  which  is  indeed  in  complete 
harmony  with  the  discourse  preceding  the 
insertion,  but  not  at  all  with  the  dramatic 
character  of  the  incident  in  question.  It  is 
evident,  then,  that  such  interpolations,  if  others 
there  be,  should  leave  indications  on  either  side 
of  the  gap  made  to  receive  them;  and  that  the 
context  having  been  torn  apart  will  close  nat- 
urally when  the  alien  element  has  been  re- 
moved. These  seem  to  be  serviceable  canons 
of  criticism  and  should  be  helpful  in  the  solu- 
tion of  further  problems  as  they  arise.  Literary 
surgery  can  seldom  be  done  so  effectively  as  to 
leave  no  scar;  particularly  is  this  true  when 
there  is  no  intention  to  deceive,  but  the  ad- 
dition takes  place  in  accordance  with  the 
usual  custom  of  the  time. 

Here,  then,  are  two  documents,  the  one  a 
book  of  some  twenty  thousand  words,  the  other 
a  mere  fragment.  Yet  somehow  the  fragment 
equally  with  the  book  had  survived  the  muta- 

78 


PROLEGOMENA 

tions  of  time.  Such  a  bit  of  literature  deserves 
careful  attention.  It  consists  in  the  Greek 
of  some  one  hundred  and  fifty  words — about 
eight  hundred  letters.  Now,  the  standard  line 
in  which  copying  was  done  appears  to  have 
had  about  thirty-five  letters,  hence  this  passage 
would  occupy  perhaps  twenty-five  lines.  Quite 
evidently  it  is  adapted  to  a  single  page  of  such 
papyrus  as  was  commonly  used.  Hence,  in 
reality,  a  little  leaflet,  such  as  could  readily 
circulate  in  a  separate  edition.  The  incident 
has  a  highly-developed  dramatic  form;  it  moves 
from  climax  to  climax;  it  is  adapted  to  hold 
the  attention  of  a  hearer  as  each  swift  turn  is 
made.  These  are  the  characteristics  of  the 
folk  story,  and  point  to  an  earlier  history  in 
an  oral  form.  But  there  is  scarcely  a  word  to 
be  spared;  it  has  gotten  rid  of  all  useless  ex- 
plications; the  attrition  of  time  has  been  at 
work.  The  oral  history  must  have  been  fairly 
prolonged.  Once  again,  as  we  have  it,  it  is  in 
the  Greek;  originally  it  would  have  been  in 
the  language  of  Palestine.  So  soon,  however, 
as  the  Gospel  stories  were  told  to  the  Hellen- 
istic Jews  some  among  them  would  undergo 
translation.  Then,  as  the  actual  possession  of 
a  Greek  speaking  people,  would  develop  in 
their  own  way.  Had  this  story  existed  as  a 
written  document  in  the  Aramaean,  it  seems 
highly  probable  that  it  would  have  been  earlier 

79 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

embodied  in  one  or  another  of  the  Gospels. 
But  circulating  in  the  other  tongue  and  having 
thus  its  chief  vogue,  it  might  easily  be  among  the 
many  incidents  that  failed  of  early  narration. 
In  due  course  one  of  the  many  collectors  of 
incidents  concerning  the  Master  would  note  the 
value  of  this  and  make  a  memoranda  of  it.  Such 
a  paper,  if  copied  even  in  a  limited  degree, 
would  in  the  end,  when  the  aggregation  of  the 
canonical  literature  began,  find  a  place  in 
association  therewith.  In  some  such  way  has 
this  document  come  to  its  final  adjustment. 

There  is,  then,  the  highest  probability  of 
its  authenticity.  It  little  matters  who  was 
its  author  in  the  sense  of  writing  it  down,  for 
many  minds  were  concerned  in  its  production; 
it  passed  current  among  the  disciples,  too  well 
known  to  require  writing  or  authority.  Such 
currency  is  its  best  credential.  There  is  indeed 
a  remarkable  fidelity  to  the  character  of  the 
Master  as  elsewhere  revealed;  the  whole  manner 
is  too  fine  for  invention.  Probably  in  no 
other  place  is  the  balance  between  sympathy 
and  justice  held  with  so  even  a  hand;  mercy 
and  truth  are  met  together.  Hence  even  those 
authorities  who,  on  textual  grounds,  declare 
it  to  be  an  interpolation  are  none  the  less  so 
loathe  to  lose  so  typical  an  instance  that  they 
preserve  it  in  other  connections.  It  is  agreed, 
then,  that  isolated  memoranda  may  have  the 

80 


PROLEGOMENA 

highest  historical  value;  that  oral  tradition  may- 
be essentially  accurate;  that  even  a  first  writing 
in  Greek  and  possibly  in  a  place  remote  from 
the  scenes  of  the  Master's  activity  does  not 
bar  a  document  from  careful  consideration. 

But  is  it  conceivable  that  there  was  but 
one  instance  of  this  character?  The  chances 
that  a  solitary  memoranda  would  have  sur- 
vived is  too  remote  to  merit  consideration. 
It  must  be  taken  as  typical  of  a  process,  as  one 
among  many  such  incidents  circulating  in  either 
oral  or  written  form,  or  perhaps  both.  There  is 
then  justification  for  expecting  to  find  others 
of  the  same  class,  evincing  the  same  general 
characteristics  and  having  the  same  general 
history. 

The  second  of  the  two  instances  is  to  be 
found  in  the  closing  chapter  of  the  Gospel. 
The  twentieth  chapter  of  the  book  closes  with 
a  lofty  note  of  finality: 

"Many  other  signs  therefore  did  Jesus  in  the  pres- 
ence of  His  disciples,  which  are  not  written  in  this 
book;  but  these  are  written  that  you  may  believe  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  and  that  believing 
you  may  have  life  in  His  name." 

By  common  consent  the  twenty-first  chapter 
has  been  added  by  the  redactor;  the  process  is 
so  clumsily  wrought  that  even  the  details  may 
be  traced. 

«  81 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

The  chapter  In  question  is  itself  composite, 
and  consists  of  three  distinct  parts: 

I.     The  Story  of  the  Fishermen, 
II.     The  Restoration  of  Peter, 
III.     Editorial  Comment. 

The  two  main  parts  are  separated  by  the  un- 
usual comment: 

"This  is  now  the  third  time  that  Jesus  was  mani- 
fested to  His  disciples  after  that  He  was  risen  from  the 
dead." 

To  interject  such  a  remark  into  the  midst  of  an 
interview  is  a  most  unusual  process,  and  suggests 
that  the  portion  preceding .  might  be  considered 
by  itself.  When  this  is  done  it  is  seen  to  have 
a  completeness  of  its  own;  it  is  based  on  a  simple 
incident  and  has  been  elaborated  to  portray 
character.  It  has  remarkable  affinities  with 
the  call  of  the  disciples  as  narrated  by  Luke; 
the  parallel  extends  even  to  details.  The  loca- 
tion is  the  same,  and  so  are  the  persons;  there 
is  the  same  failure  of  the  night's  fishing  venture, 
and  its  renewal  at  the  command  of  Jesus,  with 
the  same  wonderful  result;  there  are  the  two 
ships,  and  between  their  occupants  a  tacit 
partnership  and  co-operation.  The  effect  on 
Peter  is  alike  in  both  instances. 

When  to  this  extraordinary  burden  of  co- 
incidence is  added  the  violence  done  to  the 
historical  situation,  and  the  patent  fact  that 

82 


PROLEGOMENA 

the  incident  is  an  interpolation,  and  as  such 
had  a  long,  independent  history,  it  becomes 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  we  have  here  an 
elaborated  account  of  the  event  which  Luke 
recorded  in  a  simpler  form.  If  now  this  inci- 
dent be  excised,  it  becomes  clear  that  the  com- 
ment referring  to  the  third  appearance  of  the 
Lord  may  by  a  copyist's  error  have  dropped 
below  the  proper  close  of  the  book,  and  that  in 
reality  it  belongs  with  the  appearance  to  the 
eleven  disciples,  including  Thomas.  So  placed 
it  squares  with  the  recited  facts,  for  this  was  the 
third  appearance  of  the  risen  Christ,  so  far  as 
this  record  shows.  The  utterance  of  Thomas 
is  in  the  same  key  as  is  the  closing  sentence  of 
the  book,  giving  at  once  an  artistic  and  har- 
monious ending. 

The  portion  of  the  chapter  which  deals  with 
the  restoration  of  Peter  has  such  strong  aflSni- 
ties  with  the  story  of  his  denial  that  it  may  be 
presumed  to  have  been  a  portion  of  that  inci- 
dent. When  the  matter  of  this  incident  came 
to  be  distributed  in  a  historical  narrative  there 
would  be  strong  editorial  reasons  for  putting 
this  portion  after  the  events  of  the  resurrection 
had  been  recited;  hence  it  must  immediately 
follow  the  interview  with  the  disciples.  This 
in  turn  involved  a  second  closing  for  the  book, 
and  certain  editorial  comment. 

This  examination  develops  canons  of  criti- 
83 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

cism,  which  in  their  apphcation  should  be  of  the 
largest  value.  It  indicates  that  the  Gospels 
were  builded  in  accordance  with  the  customs 
of  the  age,  and  so  contributes  to  the  under- 
lying thesis  which  has  been  enunciated.  It 
gives  a  hint  as  to  the  mode  of  procedure 
which  should  lead  to  the  discernment  of  further 
data. 

In  the  Book  of  John  there  are  five  other 
incidents  recorded  in  extenso  which  possess  a 
certain  separateness  from  the  text.  Each  of 
these,  then,  becomes  a  legitimate  object  of 
inquiry.  The  tests  to  be  applied  are,  first, 
whether  they  are  compound  structures;  second, 
whether  they  have  special  traces  of  editorial 
revision;  and  third,  what  is  their  relation  to  the 
context. 

The  story  of  the  woman  of  Samaria  is  nar- 
rated at  considerable  length.  The  climax  of 
the  story  is  the  Messianic  confession,  and  the 
acceptance  of  Jesus  as  the  Savior  of  the  world. 
This  occurs  then  very  early  in  His  ministry, 
before  a  body  of  disciples  had  been  developed, 
or  before  He  Himself  had  advanced  His  claim. 
The  later  enunciation  of  this  faith  by  Peter 
on  behalf  of  The  Twelve  is  but  a  sorry  echo 
of  what  had  been  anticipated  by  months  at 
least.  Besides  this  He  is  accompanied  by 
disciples,  though  the  actual  calling  of  a  definite 
body  seems  to  have  taken  place  later  on.    Con- 

84 


PROLEGOMENA 

sequently  the  Samaritan  discipleshlp  is  of  earlier 
date  than  the  Jewish;  these  aHen  people  are 
really  the  first  to  perceive  the  nature  of  His 
claim.  It  is  quite  clear  that  chronologically,  at 
least,  the  incident  is  misplaced. 

The  story  itself  divides  into  two  parts, 
which  in  this  case  are  skillfully  blended.  The 
first  deals  with  the  disciples  and  their  surprise 
that  He  should  converse  with  a  Samaritan. 
Some  parts  of  the  primitive  incident  are  so 
merged  with  the  other  development  that  they 
are  with  difficulty  restored;  but  it  would  seem 
that  the  narrative  must  have  run  somewhat  as 
follows : 

"While  the  disciples  were  gone  unto  the  city  to 
buy  meat,  Jesus  being  wearied  with  His  journey  sat  thus 
on  the  well.  It  was  about  the  sixth  hour,  and  there 
Cometh  a  woman  of  Samaria  to  draw  water.  Jesus  saith 
to  her,  'Give  Me  to  drink.'  Then  saith  the  woman  of 
Samaria  unto  Him,  'How  is  it  that  Thou,  being  a 
Jew,  asketh  drink  of  me,  who  am  a  woman  of  Samaria?' 
Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  her,  'If  thou  knewest  the 
gift  of  God  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  Give  Me  to 
drink,  thou  wouldst  have  asked  of  Him,  and  He  would 
have  given  thee  living  water."  And  upon  this  came 
His  disciples,  and  marveled  that  He  talked  with  the 
woman,  yet  no  man  said,  'What  seekest  thou.^*'  or 
'Why  talkest  Thou  with  her?'  The  woman  then  left 
her  water  pot  and  went  into  the  city.  In  the  mean- 
while His  disciples  prayed  Him,  saying,  'Master,  eat.' 
But  He  said  to  them,  'I  have  meat  to  eat  that  you 
know  not  of.'      Therefore  said   His   disciples   to   one 

85 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

another,  'Has  any  man  brought  Him  to  eat?'  Jesus 
said  to  them,  *My  meat  is  to  the  will  of  Him  that  sent 
Me  and  to  finish  His  work.'" 

So  recorded  the  incident  has  all  the  simplicity 
of  the  direct  oral  tradition.  It  preserves  strictly 
the  unity  and  develops  a  theme  which  com- 
parison with  other  records  shows  to  have  been 
a  not  inconsiderable  element  in  the  teaching  of 
Jesus.  Even  the  location  becomes  consistent, 
for  there  is  no  indication  that  the  recorded 
events  took  place  in  Samaria.  Indeed,  the  whole 
detail  points  to  an  outcast  woman  in  a  strange 
place  doubly  surprised  at  the  courtesy  of  the 
stranger.  Certainly  disciples  who  had  just 
transacted  business  in  a  Samaritan  city  could 
have  little  cause  for  surprise  on  finding  their 
Master  in  conversation  with  a  resident  of  the 
place.  We  have  reason  to  suppose  then  that 
the  simple  oral  tradition  has  been  made  the 
basis  for  a  late  elaboration  in  the  interest  of 
Samaritan  Christianity. 

Other  elements  of  the  composition  are  also 
traceable.  There  are  three  distinct  "sayings" 
collocated  and  given  a  place  in  the  developed 
story — the  one  concerns  the  "well  of  water 
springing  up  into  everlasting  life;"  the  second 
emphasizes  the  spiritual  character  of  worship — 
a  theme  quite  beyond  the  requirements  of  the 
situation,  and  marking  a  break  in  the  narrative; 
and  the  third  saying  concerns  "the  white  harvest 

86 


PROLEGOMENA 

fields."  These  are  each  separate  expression 
and  show  purpose  in  their  introduction;  they 
may  be  left  out  of  the  narrative  without  im- 
pairing its  continuity.  It  is  as  though  some 
writer  found  them  rising  in  his  memory  as  he 
wrote  the  story,  and  with  that  happy  disregard 
of  historical  association  which  belongs  to  the 
naive  period  of  historical  writing  he  placed 
them  in  the  mouth  of  his  chief  character;  this 
does  not  imply  any  lack  of  authenticity  in  the 
sayings  themselves — rather  the  reverse  in  fact — 
but  merely  in  their  association  with  this  event. 

Quite  clearly  then  we  are  dealing  with  a 
composite  structure,  which  has  been  elaborated 
in  its  final  redaction  by  the  editor.  So  also  we 
have  traces  of  explanation,  which  simple  nar- 
rative never  makes;  and  we  have  editorial  plac- 
ing of  the  event  by  connecting  comment.  On 
the  second  test  also  the  evidence  is  quite  clear. 

The  general  historical  difficulties  connected 
with  placing  such  an  event  in  the  early  part  of 
the  Gospel  have  been  noted.  It  would  be  a 
sufficient  answer  to  this  to  say  that  the  Book  of 
John  disregards  chronology.  But  that  is  to 
assume  a  matter  which  requires  proof.  The 
force  of  this  misplacement  may  be  allowed  to 
weigh  against  the  incident.  But  when  the 
context  is  carefully  analyzed  it  is  seen  that 
there  are  further  reasons  for  deeming  the  pas- 
sage  to   be   an   interpolation.     This   is   made 

87 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

clearer  by  simply  reading  the  text  without  ref- 
erence to  the  passage  or  its  introductory  com- 
ment.   In  such  a  case  the  reading  is  as  follows: 

"When,  therefore,  the  Lord  knew  how  the  Pharisees 
had  heard  that  Jesus  made  and  baptized  more  dis- 
ciples than  John,  He  left  Judea  and  departed  again  into 
Galilee,  for  Jesus  Himself  testified  that  a  prophet 
hath  no  honor  in  his  own  country." 

The  unity  and  simple  force  of  this  statement 
is  remarkable.  The  movement  of  the  Teacher  is 
stated,  and  a  reason  for  it  is  given;  so  also  the 
goal  of  His  journey  is  stated,  and  an  adequate 
reason  quoted,  which  exactly  balances  the 
urgency  which  induced  the  leaving.  Yet  be- 
tween the  beginning  and  end  of  this  sentence 
occurs  a  long  digression,  which  utterly  breaks 
the  continuity  and  separates  the  two  members 
of  the  balanced  statement  by  so  great  a  dis- 
tance that  their  real  connection  has  been  seen 
but  seldom. 

It  remains,  then,  to  place  the  passage  as 
regards  the  processes  of  its  construction.  Part 
of  it  seems  to  have  been  an  oral  tradition  and 
to  evidence  the  qualities  which  have  been  noted 
as  characterizing  such  forms;  but  also  it  has 
the  length  which  would  have  filled  a  page  of 
papyrus.  So  it  may  be  regarded  as  having 
assumed  written  form  in  the  course  of  time. 
As  regards  the  other  portions  of  the  fusion, 
there  is  this  to  be  said:   The  logia  seem  to  have 

88 


PROLEGOMENA 

been  preserved  by  careful  tradition  and  were 
doubtless  part  of  the  mental  furnishing  of  the 
ordinary  Christian.  They  are  indeed  admirably 
adapted  to  the  modes  and  conditions  of  the 
Greeks,  with  their  emphasis  upon  world-wide 
harvest  fields  and  the  spiritual  rather  than 
local  nature  of  worship.  We  may  recognize  also 
the  Samaritan  element.  The  Christian  Church 
which  was  developed  among  them  must  have 
had  its  traditions.  Anything  which  would  ante- 
date the  Apostolic  presentation  of  the  Gospel 
as  it  is  recorded  in  the  Book  of  Acts  would  have 
ministered  to  their  national  pride.  Hence  the 
slightest  incident  would  have  been  magnified 
into  an  adequate  ministry  of  the  Master  directly 
to  them.  The  human  nature  of  this  is  so  clear 
as  to  be  pathetic.  There  may  have  been  in 
the  later  days  when  Jesus  was  an  outlaw  some 
such  sojourn  amid  the  Samaritan  hills;  it  was, 
however,  essentially  an  incident  and  produced 
no  such  effect  as  is  here  implied.  Given  the 
traditional  story,  and  some  such  vague  reports 
as  are  thus  indicated,  the  two  would  presently 
come  to  a  certain  fusion.  Some  one,  as  Philip 
the  "Gospeler,"  may  in  due  course  have  written 
this  "Gospel  of  the  Samaritans."*  In  such  a 
form  it  would  of  course  have  an  independent 
circulation,  until  it  came  finally  to  the  attention 

*  Note  8. 

89 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

of  the  collocator  of  the  Book  of  John.  This 
conjectural  account  seems  to  meet  all  the  con- 
ditions and  to  give  an  ample  explanation  of 
the  presence  of  the  passage  where  now  we 
find  it. 

In  the  ninth  chapter  of  the  Gospel  is  a  third 
incident  narrated  at  considerable  length,  and 
showing  on  the  surface  at  least  some  of  the 
characteristics  which  invite  our  attention  in 
this  connection.  •  It  is  the  story  of  the  man 
born  blind.  It  is  in  reality  one  of  the  most 
dramatic  fragments  which  have  come  down  to 
us,  and  quite  singular  in  this  that  Jesus  is  not 
the  chief  personage.  This  suggests  an  analysis 
of  the  passage  into  the  scenes  in  which  Jesus  is 
present  and  those  in  which  the  drama  takes 
another  trend.  The  division  is  natural,  and  is 
easily  made.  The  first  portion  is  presented  as 
follows: 

"As  Jesus  passed  by  He  saw  a  man  who  was  blind 
from  birth;  and  His  disciples  asked  Him,  saying, 
'Master,  who  did  sin,  this  man  or  his  parents,  that  he 
was  born  blind? '  Jesus  answered,  'Neither  has  this  man 
sinned,  nor  his  parents;  but  that  the  works  of  God 
should  be  made  manifest  in  him.'  When  He  had  thus 
spoken.  He  spat  on  the  ground,  and  made  clay  of  the 
spittle,  and  He  anointed  the  eyes  of  the  blind  man 
with  the  clay,  and  said  unto  Him,  '  Go,  wash  in  the  Pool 
of  Siloam.'  He  went  his  way,  therefore,  and  came 
seeing.  When  Jesus  had  found  him  He  said  unto  him, 
*Dost  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God?'    He  answered 

90 


PROLEGOMENA 

and  said,  *Who  is  He,  Lord,  that  I  might  believe  on 
Him?'  Jesus  said  unto  him,  'Thou  hast  both  seen 
Him,  and  He  is  it  that  talketh  with  thee.'  And  he 
said,  'Lord,  I  believe.'  and  he  worshiped  Him." 

So  told  the  iscident  has  a  unity  and  a  teach- 
ing value  rather  than  a  dramatic  one,  which  is  the 
use  made  of  it  in  the  larger  form.  It  again  sug- 
gests the  page  of  papyrus,  and  a  separate  exist- 
ence in  oral  form  before  being  reduced  to  manu- 
script. It  contrasts  vividly  in  its  simplicity 
with  the  elaborate  and  artificial  grouping  in 
which  it  is  embodied.  There  is  in  the  larger 
account  a  reiteration  of  each  of  the  elements; 
the  writer  recounts  the  scene  in  three  different 
aspects.  He  makes  the  man's  perceptions  stand 
in  direct  contrast  to  the  enmity  of  the  Phari- 
sees; he  gives  to  him  an  aggressive  and  bold 
front.  Many  of  these  elements  would  have 
been  purged  away  in  an  oral  tradition.  The 
vital  elements  would  have  been  once  mentioned 
and  given  their  true  value;  the  whole  treatment 
points  to  a  later  composition  wherein  the  writer 
imaginatively  constructs  his  scene.  Nor  does 
he  keep  himself  wholly  in  the  background,  for 
the  editorial  element  appears  in  certain  inter- 
pretative remarks,  by  which  the  situation  is 
made  clear  to  a  reader  not  familiar  with  the 
conditions.  Yet  the  explanation  itself  makes 
obvious  error,  in  that  it  conveys  the  idea  that 
the  Messianic  character  of  Jesus  had  been  so 

91 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

declared  as  to  induce  formal  action  against 
those  who  should  profess  faith  in  Him.  This 
is  of  value  as  indicating  a  vague  conception  of 
the  conditions  of  the  time — it  points  to  an 
author  whose  knowledge  of  th^  conflict  between 
Jesus  and  the  hierarchy  had  been  gained  by 
hearsay.  We  conclude  then  that  on  the  basis 
of  the  oral  tradition,  which  had  been  reduced 
to  a  leaflet  and  which  was  before  him  as  he 
wrote,  some  later  writer  had  developed  a  more 
elaborate  account  by  fusing  it  with  certain 
things  which  he  had  heard,  and  with  certain 
others  which  he  allowed  himself  to  develop 
from  his  imaginative  conception  of  the  event. 
He  is  really  aiming  to  vivify  history.  But  how 
does  such  a  theory  stand  the  third  test — the 
relation  of  the  passage  to  the  context?  The 
matter  is  complicated  by  the  fact  that  the  pas- 
sage is  immediately  followed  by  certain  sayings 
of  Jesus.  Hence  it  is  necessary  to  pass  on  to 
the  resumption  of  the  narrative  form.  The 
narrative  takes  up  a  scene  of  violent  division 
among  certain  auditors  on  account  of  what 
Jesus  had  just  said.  He  Himself  does  not  appear 
to  be  present.  But  turning  from  this  to  the 
words  which  immediately  precede  the  account 
of  the  healing  of  the  blind  man,  we  find  that 
Jesus  had  been  in  vigorous  controversy,  and 
had  even  been  threatened  with  destruction; 
under  these  circumstances  He  leaves  the  scene 

92 


PROLEGOMENA 

of  action.  The  relation  of  the  two  parts  be- 
comes clear  when  they  are  read  continuously: 

".  .  .  Then  said  the  Jews  unto  Him,  'Thou 
art  not  yet  fifty  years  old,  and  hast  Thou  seen  Abra- 
ham?' Jesus  said  unto  them,  'Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you.  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am.'  Then  took 
they  up  stones  to  cast  at  Him;  but  Jesus  hid  Himself, 
and  went  out  of  the  Temple,  going  through  the  midst 
of  them,  and  so  passed  by.  There  was  therefore  a 
division  again  among  the  Jews  for  these  sayings;  and 
many  of  them  said,  'He  hath  a  devil  and  is  mad;  why 
hear  ye  Him?'  Others  said,  'These  are  not  the  words 
of  Him  that  has  a  devil.  Can  a  devil  open  the  eyes 
of  the  blind?'" 

The  connection,  therefore,  is  perfect,  when  the 
passage  is  eliminated.  To  be  sure  another  prob- 
lem, that  of  an  interpolated  "saying,"  is  raised; 
but  this  must  await  the  accumulation  of  further 
data  before  it  can  be  intelligently  discussed. 
There  is  in  the  narrative  a  key  as  to  the  reason 
for  the  introduction  of  the  account  at  this 
precise  point.  One  of  the  arguments  by  which 
His  friends  refute  the  attack  upon  the  Master 
is  by  reference  to  the  healing  of  the  blind.  It 
does  indeed  seem  to  be  a  generic  reference,  but 
none  the  less  would  suggest  the  insertion  of  the 
incident;  particularly  if  the  incident  were  at 
hand  and  the  editor  was  seeking  some  place 
where  it  could  be  recorded. 

This  would  indicate  that  the  story  had  its 
manuscript  existence  before  the  work  of  com- 

93 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

bination  was  begun;  that  the  final  reviser  came 
to  his  task  with  the  basic  book  at  hand,  and  a 
number  of  other  papers  which  he  sought  to 
incorporate  into  the  larger  text.  Thus  there 
unfolds  some  indication  of  the  specific  process 
by  which  the  Gospel  assumed  its  present  form. 
We  have  an  added  reason  for  premising  the 
existence  of  a  body  of  written  accounts  of 
special  incidents  in  the  life  of  the  Master, 
which  had  been  based  upon  primitive  oral  tra- 
dition and  enlarged  by  some  one  with  a  literary 
instinct  and  a  general,  but  not  definite  knowl- 
edge of  the  general  circumstances  of  the  great 
ministry.  This  would  be  a  rather  late  develop- 
ment, for  first  of  all  the  oral  tradition  must 
be  allowed  time  to  perfect  its  forms,  and  these 
in  turn  must  have  been  reduced  to  writing; 
then,  after  a  period  of  circulation  in  such  form, 
they  would  have  been  developed  into  the  more 
extensive  narrative  as  is  here  indicated.  These 
in  turn  must  have  been  in  circulation  before 
they  came  into  the  possession  of  the  final 
compiler  of  the  text.  Altogether  the  elapsed 
time  would  have  reached  the  third  generation 
after  the  events. 

Foremost  among  all  the  incidents  in  the 
Gospel,  in  its  tender  beauty  and  in  the  per- 
sonality revealed,  is  the  story  of  the  raising  of 
Lazarus  from  the  dead.  It  is  presented  with  a 
wealth  of  detail  that  makes  a  vivid  impression 

94 


PROLEGOMENA 

upon  the  mind.  Its  power  is  scarcely  more  in 
the  wonder  which  is  recorded  than  in  the  sym- 
pathy and  heroism  in  the  cause  of  friendship 
which  is  presented.  Precisely  because  of  this 
fullness  of  recital  it  becomes  legitimate  to  inquire 
as  to  its  origin. 

It  is  a  drama  in  four  vivid  scenes,  each  of 
which  has  its  own  setting.  There  is  first  the 
group  picture  of  the  Master  in  His  retirement; 
He  has  withdrawn  from  Judea  with  a  price  on 
His  head,  and  with  the  formal  decree  of  death 
but  a  few  days  ahead  of  Him.  In  a  few  vivid 
strokes  the  Master  and  His  disciples  are  etched. 
Then  there  is  a  change  of  scene;  He  has  come 
near  to  the  village  where  bereaved  friends 
reside,  summoned  by  their  announcement  of 
the  fatal  illness.  The  interview  with  the 
practical  Martha  is  realistic  and  full  of  a  high 
dignity,  alike  worthy  of  the  woman  and  the 
Master.  The  more  emotional  sister  is  then 
summoned,  and  the  whole  group  is  seen  wending 
its  way  to  the  place  of  burial,  followed  by  the 
lesser  mourners.  There  is  no  disguising  the 
great  feeling  of  the  Master;  the  tears  run  down 
His  face;  but  presently  He  rises  to  the  greatness 
of  His  power,  and  with  one  clear  call  brings 
the  dead  to  life.  No  detail  is  omitted.  The 
whole  matter  is  elaborated  in  the  highest  degree. 

We  have  in  this  an  artistic  production,  in 
which  every  part  has  been  proportioned  to  the 

95 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

other.  There  is  no  evidence  of  the  wearing 
the  story  to  its  vital  elements.  It  depends  for 
its  power  upon  the  little  touches.  Yet  for  all 
that  it  is  clearly  a  compound  vision.  The 
change  in  locality  and  in  personnel  is  enough  to 
establish  this.  But  if  an  oral  tradition  had  been 
recorded  in  simpler  terms  it  seems  to  have  been 
so  fused  with  the  larger  story  that  its  outlines 
are  lost.  To  be  sure  this  proves  nothing  more 
than  the  greater  success  of  the  composition,  or, 
at  most,  that  the  writer  worked  from  the  oral 
account  directly  and  had  no  previously-written 
memoranda  before  him.  Granting  this  it  be- 
comes clear  that  as  for  the  rest  he  has  pursued 
precisely  the  same  method  of  development  as 
in  the  incidents  already  analyzed.  The  work  is 
of  a  class  with  them  in  its  essential  processes. 

We  find  also  traces  of  the  editor  at  his  work. 
For  the  benefit  of  his  readers  he  identifies  his 
personages  by  alluding  to  other  incidents  pre- 
sumably well  known  to  them.  He  puts  into 
the  mouth  of  the  Master  certain  sayings*  which 
he  deems  appropriate,  but  which  in  reality 
constitute  the  only  break  in  the  development  of 
the  drama.  These  are  evidences  of  the  presence 
of  the  reviser,  when  he  came  to  place  the  inci- 
dent in  the  body  of  the  text. 

There  is  reason  indeed  for  his  choosing  this 
particular  place  for  the  introduction  of  the  story, 

*  Passage  beginning,  "If  a  man  walk  in  the  day,"  etc. 

96 


PROLEGOMENA 

for  presently  we  read  an  allusion  to  this  man, 
who  was  raised,  by  name.  The  allusion  is  in 
itself  significant,  for  it  reads  as  though  there 
had  been  no  previous  mention  of  the  event, 
but  only  that  there  was  a  generally  known 
tradition  of  it.  This  would  be  the  fitting  place, 
then,  to  insert  the  important  document.  It 
could  not  be  immediately  done,  for  the  reason 
that  the  progress  of  the  narrative  required  an 
interval  of  time.  So  the  editor  has  gone  back  a 
few  sentences.  There  is  no  appropriate  setting 
at  hand,  but  this  is  overcome  by  the  bringing 
Jesus  from  His  retirement  to  Jerusalem  for  the 
specific  purpose  of  working  the  great  miracle. 
This  occasions  the  development  of  the  prelude, 
which  seems  to  be  from  a  later  hand  than  the 
main  story.  In  this  wise  the  account  is  lodged 
in  the  text.  Let  us  then  follow  the  plan  of 
omitting  it  and  observing  whether  or  not  the 
sutures  close  with  approximate  accuracy.  Under 
these  circumstances  the  passage  will  read: 

"Therefore  they  sought  again  to  take  Him,  but  He 
escaped  out  of  their  hand  and  went  away  again  beyond 
Jordan  into  the  place  where  John  at  the  first  baptized; 
and  there  He  abode.  And  many  resorted  unto  Him, 
and  said,  'John  indeed  did  no  miracle;  but  all  things 
that  John  spake  of  this  man  were  true.'  And  many 
believed  on  Him  there.  Then  gathered  the  chief  priests 
and  the  Pharisees  a  council,  and  said,  'What  do  we? 
for  this  man  does  many  miracles,  and  if  we  let  Him 
alone  all  will  believe  on  Him;  .  .  .'" 
7  97 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

The  unity  is  fully  preserved;  the  alarm  of 
the  Council  is  justified  by  the  renewed  associa- 
tion of  the  Master's  name  with  that  of  John 
the  Baptist,  whom  all  men  accounted  a  prophet. 
The  danger  was  real  enough  and  does  not  need 
the  introduction  of  the  special  climactic  miracle 
in  order  to  give  it  force.  Indeed,  in  just  such 
ways  did  insurrections  arise  rather  than  in  the 
city  itself.  So  the  context  pieces  together  in 
such  a  way  as  to  indicate  that  it  had  been  forced 
apart  in  order  to  permit  the  introduction  of  the 
interpolated  passage.  Thus  in  this  case  also 
the  three  tests  are  successfully  met. 

We  have  detected  the  Elaborator  at  his  work, 
but  it  becomes  possible  to  get  a  clearer  view 
than  any  yet  indicated,  for  two  of  the  stories 
which  he  has  developed  have  a  parallel  in  the 
Synoptics.  The  comparison  is  exceedingly  in- 
teresting and  affords  light  on  many  minute 
problems.  But  for  the  present  this  much  will 
suffice,  that  we  are  enabled  to  see  the  combina- 
tion wrought  by  the  artist.  The  first  of  these 
cases  is  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  Gospel.  It 
contains  three  distinct  parts.  The  first  is  the 
feeding  of  the  multitude ;  the  second  the  walking 
on  the  sea;  and  the  third  the  controversy  with 
the  people  in  the  synagogue  at  Capernaum. 
There  is  no  reason  in  the  nature  of  things  why 
these  should  be  narrated  together;  but  the 
association  of  ideas  probably  accounts  for  it. 

98 


PROLEGOMENA 

The  account  in  Matthew  and  Mark  presents  two 
of  them  in  the  same  sequence.  Luke  gives 
but  one — omits  the  second — but  then  proceeds 
to  develop  essentially  the  same  situation  as  is 
found  in  John.  From  this  disagreement  as  to 
the  association,  it  seems  highly  probable  that 
the  stories  were  originally  in  circulation  as  oral 
traditions  in  separate  form;  so  the  material 
was  available  for  different  combinations.  But 
when  a  comparison  of  the  first  incident  is  made, 
it  is  seen  that  the  dominant  characteristic  of 
the  John  account  is  the  vivifying  of  personality; 
he  introduces  several  speakers  into  the  situation 
and  develops  the  plot  through  their  conversa- 
tion. It  is  the  same  quality  which  was  in  evi- 
dence in  each  of  the  stories  which  we  have  al- 
ready analyzed.  He  adds  details  and  makes 
the  matter  more  real  by  this  imaginative  treat- 
ment. 

The  connecting  story  of  the  storm,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  less  fully  given  and  seems  to  be 
valued  merely  as  an  explanation  of  the  change 
of  scene.  His  main  emphasis  is  to  be  placed 
upon  the  Capernaum  controversy,  which  is 
matter  quite  peculiar  to  himself.  This  con- 
troversy is  set  forth  at  great  length,  and  by  its 
subject  matter  is  related  to  the  miracle  of  the 
feeding  of  the  five  thousand.  It  is  developed 
very  largely  by  the  use  of  particular  sayings  of 
the  Master,  some  of  which  seem  to  have  been 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

afterwards  introduced.  The  incident  comes  to 
a  definite  end,  with  these  words: 

"These  things  said  He  in  the  synagogue,  as  He 
taught  in   Capernaum." 

The  editorial  comment  is  not  as  strongly  in 
evidence  as  in  some  of  the  other  instances,  but 
none  the  less  there  are  two  explanatory  passages; 
the  one  relates  to  the  Passover  being  at  hand, 
and  the  other  explains  the  process  by  which  the 
multitude  was  enabled  to  reach  Capernaum  in 
time  to  participate  in  the  controversy.  This 
seems  an  afterthought,  growing  out  of  the 
necessity  of  identifying  the  personnel  of  the 
two  occasions.  It  clearly  arises  from  the 
artistic  necessities  of  the  case. 

When  now  we  examine  the  placing  of  this 
incident  in  the  context,  it  is  at  once  seen  that 
it  does  violence  to  the  historical  situation. 
Immediately  before  this  the  Master  is  in  Jerusa- 
lem; immediately  after  He  is  there  again;  but 
is  instantly  returned  to  Galilee,  and  without 
pause  is  hurried  to  Jerusalem  a  second  time. 
This  is  weird  narration  indeed.  The  matter  is 
also  associated  with  the  Passover,  which  causes 
no  little  embarrassment,  for  by  all  incidental 
indications  it  belongs  to  a  very  late  period  in 
the  ministry;  but  the  subsequent  movements 
render  it  impossible  to  have  been  the  last 
Passover.  This  difficulty  can  be  evaded  by 
recognizing  the  error  of  this  editorial  comment. 

100 


PROLEGOMENA 

But  the  general  situation  is  not  thereby  modified. 
The  story  also  indicates  a  definite  break  with  the 
Galilean  followers,  while  to  the  last  their  en- 
thusiasm seems  to  have  been  undiminished. 
Such  considerations  certainly  emphasize  the 
idea  of  an  interpolation. 

Immediately  preceding  the  account  is  an  ex- 
tensive Logia.  Its  presence  does  not  complicate 
the  situation  in  any  large  degree,  for  it  is  quite 
in  the  spirit  of  the  text;  but  if  we  look  to  the 
narrative  portion  immediately  preceding  the 
Logia,  and  connect  this  with  the  narrative  which 
immediately  follows  the  interpolated  incident, 
we  have  the  following  reading: 

"...  Jesus  answered  them,  *  My  Father  work- 
eth  hitherto  and  I  work.'  Therefore  the  Jews  sought  the 
more  to  kill  Him,  because  He  not  only  had  broken 
the  Sabbath,  but  said  also  that  God  was  His  Father, 
making  Himself  equal  with  God.  .  .  .  Many  there- 
fore of  His  disciples,  when  they  heard  this,  said,  '  This  is 
a  hard  saying;*  who  can  hear  it?'  When  Jesus  knew  in 
Himself  that  His  disciples  murmured  at  it,  He  said  to 
them:  'Does  this  offend  you?  What  if  you  shall  see 
the  Son  of  man  ascend  up  where  He  was  before?  It 
is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth;  the  flesh  profits  nothing; 
the  words  which  I  speak  unto  you  are  spirit  and  life. 
But  there  are  some  of  you  which  believe  not.'" 

Not  only  is  the  passage  so  continuous  that 
it  would  be  difficult  for  one  not  knowing  the 

♦Note  9.     Cf.  p.  333. 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

point  of  insertion  to  determine  it  with  any  con- 
fidence, but  the  historical  unity  is  preserved, 
the  sudden  excursion  to  GaHlee  is  avoided,  and 
the  GaHleans  are  saved  from  the  accusation  of 
a  premature  rejection  of  His  ministry.  It  is  a 
curious  matter  that  the  narration  sends  Him 
to  Galilee  immediately  after  because  of  the 
hostility  of  Jerusalem — was  He  but  the  shuttle- 
cock of  events?  Such  an  interpolation  is  too 
great  a  strain  upon  the  credulity  of  the  ordinary 
mind.  We  may  well  regard  the  evidence  as 
complete  and  add  this  incident  to  the  others 
in  the  list. 

There  remains,  then,  but  one  further  account 
for  analysis.  This  also  is  recognized  by  the 
Synoptics;  the  entire  story  is  presented  by  all 
four  Gospels.  The  incident  in  question  is  the 
denial  of  Peter.  It  presents  four  different 
scenes — there  is  first,  the  boast  of  fidelity  on  the 
part  of  Peter;  second,  the  scene  in  the  Garden, 
where  he  is  foremost  in  defense  of  the  Master; 
third,  the  scene  of  the  denial,  which  shifts  so 
as  to  introduce  a  second  set  of  personalities. 
The  story,  then,  is  of  the  developed  type,  and 
shows  the  composition  of  the  later  influences. 
Obviously,  however,  it  had  an  existence  as 
early  as  the  writing  of  the  primitive  Mark; 
it  seems  to  have  been  popular  and  to  have  had 
a  wide  circulation.  Now,  when  the  account 
in  John  is  compared  with  that  in  the  Synoptics 

102 


PROLEGOMENA 

it  seems  to  be  related  at  twice  the  length.  Here, 
then,  is  the  amplification  of  the  incident  from 
an  earlier  tradition.  This  amplification  is  in 
the  direction  of  emphasizing  the  garden  scene 
and  in  the  rendering  more  vivid  the  personnel 
of  the  drama.  It  partakes,  then,  of  the  usual 
character  of  these  longer  stories.  There  are 
also  certain  editorial  allusions  which  help  in 
the  interpretation.  It  is  quite  certain  also  that 
certain  portions  of  the  account  by  which  the 
parts  were  wrought  together  have  been  lost. 
The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  parts  being 
distributed  amidst  the  historical  matter,  the 
need  of  special  connection  was  done  away. 
This  result  is  quite  natural,  and  seems  service- 
able as  proof.  The  arrangement  in  the  context 
is  thus  more  intimate;  instead  of  one  gap  there 
is  a  series  of  them,  and  as  the  introductory  part 
of  the  story  is  lost,  the  narrative  reads  more 
continuously.  If,  however,  the  sutures  are 
examined  in  detail  they  still  have  their  report 
to  make.  The  first  recital  is  set  in  the  midst  of 
Logia  with  which  it  has  little  connection.  If 
these  Logia  be  ignored,  the  account  begins  im- 
mediately after  the  defection  of  Judas.  There 
is  here  an  association  of  ideas.  The  account  in 
Luke  also  differs  from  the  narrative  in  Matthew 
and  Mark,  and  has  affinities  with  that  in  John. 
The  situation  is  the  same.  In  both  there  had 
been  discussed  the  theme  of  service  and  humility. 

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DID   JESUS    WRITE    HIS    OWN    GOSPEL 

Luke  then  records  words  of  tender  expostulation 
addressed  by  Jesus  to  Peter,  and  these  in  turn 
lead  to  his  vehement  expression  of  loyalty; 
whereupon  Jesus  prophesies  the  threefold  denial. 
If  we  surmise  that  some  such  words  originally 
belonged  to  the  Johannine  account  and  have 
been  lost,  the  enigma  is  thereby  solved. 

When  we  come  to  the  second  installment  the 
matter  is  improved;  the  narrative  unites  on 
each  side  of  the  insertion  in  a  really  satisfactory 
fashion.    The  restored  text  reads: 

"Then  asked  He  them  again,  'Whom  seek  ye?' 
And  they  said,  'Jesus  of  Nazareth.'  Jesus  answered, 
'I  have  told  you  that  I  am  He;  if  therefore  you  seek 
Me,  let  these  go  their  way.'  Then  the  band  and  the 
captains  and  officers  of  the  Jews  took  Jesus  and  bound 
Him,  and  led  Him  away  to  Annas  first;  .  .  .  and 
the  high  priest  asked  Jesus  of  His  disciples  and  of  His 
doctrine." 

Within  the  foregoing  passage  there  are  two 
insertions  of  the  story  as  well  as  certain  edi- 
torial comments.  But  the  reading  gains  nothing 
by  their  presence;  indeed,  the  admirable  sim- 
plicity of  the  narrative  as  shown  above  is  sadly 
broken  in  upon.  Just  before  the  final  install- 
ment we  read: 

"Now  Annas  had  sent  Him  bound  to  Caiaphas, 
the  High  Priest.  Then  led  they  Jesus  from  Caiaphas 
into  the  Hall  of  Judgment." 

104 


PROLEGOMENA 

Between  these  two  statements  there  is  room 
for  the  final  insertion;  but  the  argument  from 
this  is  invalidated  in  that  the  scene  of  Peter's 
action  does  not  seem  to  have  changed,  but  to 
all  appearance  he  remains  in  the  same  courtyard 
where  the  first  denial  was  enacted.  If,  how- 
ever, we  regard  the  expression  about  sending 
to  Caiaphas  as  being  misplaced,  and  belonging 
either  earlier  or  as  an  editorial  explanation, 
then  we  have  the  narrative  sufficiently  contin- 
uous to  make  it  evident  that  the  section  of  the 
story  under  consideration  is  also  an  intrusion. 
In  this  case  the  context  will  read: 

"...  Jesus  answered,  *If  I  have  spoken  evil, 
bear  witness  of  the  evil;  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou 
Me?'  Then  led  they  Jesus  from  Caiaphas  to  the  Hall 
of  Judgment." 

If  now  we  shall  regard  that  section  of  the 
incident  which  is  placed  after  the  resurrection 
and  represents  the  Master's  interview  with 
Peter  as  the  closing  part  of  this  same  narrative, 
then  the  whole  series  rounds  into  the  same 
beautiful  unity  which  is  observable  in  each  of 
the  incidents  examined.  The  story  is  so  re- 
markable that  it  deserves  a  setting  of  its  own, 
hence  the  different  sections  are  here  brought 
together  and  the  lacunae  are  filled  with  a  brief 
statement  which  connects  them  and  which  may 
have  been  fused  with  the  historical  data,  which 

105 


DID   JESUS    WRITE    HIS   OWN    GOSPEL 

constitute  the  present  context.    The  parts  thus 
suggestively  restored  are  placed  in  parentheses: 

"(Jesus  said  to  Simon:  'Simon,  behold  Satan  asked 
to  have  you,  but  I  have  made  suppHcation  for  you, 
that  your  faith  fail  not;  and  do  you  when  once  you  have 
turned  again,  estabhsh  your  brethren.'  Peter  said  unto 
Him),  'Lord,  I  will  lay  down  my  life  for  Thy  sake.' 
Jesus  answered  Him:  'Wilt  thou  lay  down  thy  life  for 
My  sake?  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  the  cock  shall 
not  crow  until  thou  hast  denied  Me  thrice.' 


"When  they  were  in  the  garden  the  officers  laid 
hands  on  Jesus.  Then  Simon  Peter,  having  a  sword, 
drew  it  and  smote  the  high  priest's  servant  and  cut 
off  his  right  ear;  and  the  servant's  name  was  Malchus. 
Then  said  Jesus  unto  Peter,  'Put  up  thy  sword  into 
its  sheath.  The  cup  which  My  Father  has  given  Me, 
shall  I  not  drink  it.''    (And  they  led  Jesus  away.) 

"And  Simon  Peter  followed  Jesus,  and  another 
disciple;  that  disciple  was  known  unto  the  high  priest, 
and  went  in  with  Jesus  into  the  palace  of  the  high 
priest.  But  Peter  stood  at  the  door  without.  Then  went 
out  that  other  disciple,  who  was  known  unto  the  high 
priest,  and  spake  unto  her  that  kept  the  door,  and 
brought  in  Peter.  Then  saith  the  damsel  that  kept 
the  door  unto  Peter,  'Art  thou  not  also  of  this  Man's 
disciples.'*'  He  saith,  'I  am  not.'  And  the  servants 
and  officers  stood  there,  who  had  made  a  fire  of  coals, 
for  it  was  cold;  and  they  warmed  themselves,  and  Peter 
stood  there  with  them  and  warmed  himself.  .  .  . 
They  said  therefore  unto  him,  'Art  thou  not  also  of  His 
disciples?'     He  denied  and  said,  'I  am  not.'     One  of 

106 


PROLEGOMENA 

the  servants  of  the  high  priest  being  his  kinsman  whose 
ear  Peter  cut  oflf,  saith,  '  Did  I  not  see  thee  in  the  garden 
with  Him?'  Peter  then  denied  again.  And  immediately 
the  cock  crew. 

"(When  then  the  Lord  was  risen  He  appeared  unto 
Peter  and  said),  'Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  Me 
more  than  these? '  He  said  unto  Him,  '  Yea,  Lord,  Thou 
knowest  that  I  love  Thee.'  He  saith  unto  him, '  Feed  My 
lambs.'  He  saith  unto  him  the  second  time,  'Simon, 
son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  Me?'  He  saith  unto  Him, 
*Yea,  Lord,  Thou  knowest  that  I  love  Thee.'  He 
saith  unto  him,  'Feed  My  sheep.'  He  saith  unto  him 
the  third  time,  'Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  Me?' 
Peter  was  grieved  because  He  said  unto  Him  the  third 
time,  'Lovest  thou  Me?'  and  he  said  unto  Him,  'Lord, 
Thou  knowest  all  things;  Thou  knowest  that  I  love  Thee.' 
Jesus  saith  unto  Him,  'Feed  My  sheep.'  And  when  He 
had  spoken  this.  He  saith  unto  him,  'Follow  Me.' 
Then  Peter  turning  about  seeth  the  disciple  whom 
Jesus  loved  following;  Peter  seeing  him  said  to  Jesus, 
'Lord,  and  what  about  this  man? '  Jesus  saith  unto  him, 
'If  I  will  that  he  tarry  till  I  come,  what  is  it  to  thee?* 
Follow  thou  Me.'" 

Recorded  as  above  the  story  divides  into 
three  equal  parts,  and  brings  us  at  the  last  to 
the  consideration  with  which  we  started.  It 
weaves  the  web  of  unity  about  the  six  incidents 
which  have  been  analyzed  and  suggests  for 
them  a  single  authorship.  The  evidence  for 
this  may  be  briefly  summed  up.     In  each  case 

*The  editorial  comment  which  accompanies  this  saying  may  be 
regarded  as  proof  that  the  death  of  John  had  controverted  the  saving. 
Cf.  p.  391. 

107 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

there  is  the  use  of  traditions  that  after  having 
been  worn  by  oral  attrition  had  then  been 
reduced  to  writing,  and  this  writing  made  the 
basis  of  a  further  ampUfication.  This  ampHfi- 
cation  follows  in  each  instance  the  same  lines, 
its  most  marked  characteristic  being  the  vivi- 
fying of  the  subordinate  personalities.  This  is 
done  with  great  skill;  so  that  the  stories  possess 
a  high  charm  and  are  fit  to  circulate  by  them- 
selves in  their  completeness.  This  implies  a 
relatively  late  date,  and  an  audience  somewhat 
removed  from  the  places  where  these  events 
transpired  and  who  would  welcome  such  details 
as  are  presented;  it  is  also  an  audience  to  whom 
the  broader  view  of  matter  is  welcome,  for  in 
every  case  the  appeal  is  to  the  world-wide  idea 
of  Christianity  and  away  from  its  narrowness. 
They  are  written  for  the  Greek  mind,  and  pre- 
sumably from  Aramaean  traditions  rendered 
with  a  great  freedom.  Such  as  they  are,  they 
came  together  in  the  possession  of  the  final 
reviser  of  the  Book  of  John.  He  incorporated 
them  into  the  text  at  hand  with  a  care  that  is 
noteworthy  under  all  the  circumstances,  and 
with  such  comments  of  connection  and  inter- 
pretation as  seemed  necessary.  Sometimes  his 
own  conception  was  in  error,  but  in  general 
the  work  of  combination  is  well  done — only 
careful  observation  will  reveal  the  sutures.  Thus 
working  from  the  text  of  the  last  decade  of  the 

108 


PROLEGOMENA 

first  century,  we  are  able  to  reach  back  a  little, 
and  to  find  some  clue  to  the  origin  of  at  least  a 
part  of  the  Book  of  John.  But  more  than  this, 
the  process  of  its  composition  is  suggested,  and 
this  opens  still  other  fields  of  investigation.  We 
find  also  a  relationship  with  the  Synoptics  that 
is,  to  say  the  least,  of  a  unique  and  significant 
character.  Some  of  the  chronological  confusion 
has  been  cleared,  and  there  is  hope  of  further  in- 
dications of  a  like  helpful  character. 

One  section  of  the  Gospel  of  John  has  thus 
been  discriminated.  It  stands  by  itself,  so 
clearly  defined  as  to  invite  the  questions  of  its 
authorship.  Imaginative  elements  it  certainly 
possesses,  but  it  is  the  historical  imagination 
which  is  used  which,  by  remaining  true  to  the 
general  spirit  of  the  times,  and  catching  the  real 
significance  of  character,  may,  despite  a  fanciful 
use  of  details,  none  the  less  give  a  truer  picture 
of  the  times  and  the  man  than  any  mere  cata- 
loguing of  events  or  barren  narration  of  se- 
quences. This  the  genius  of  the  writer  has 
enabled  him  to  do.  It  is  doubtful  indeed 
whether  any  pen  portraits  of  the  Master  are 
more  sympathetic  or  intelligent  than  these 
elaborated  by  some  one  not  directly  connected 
with  the  events,  but  who  in  the  true  spirit  of 
a  disciple  had  entered  into  the  thought  of  the 
Master  and  had  understood  the  influence  which 
He  exerted  upon  those  among  whom  He  went 

109 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

in  and  out.  So  that,  despite  a  certain  lack  of 
historicity,  we  shall  find  these  records  of  the 
very  highest  usefulness  in  reconstructing  a 
vision  of  the  great  Master. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  analysis  two  types 
of  incidents  were  noted;  one  has  now  been 
traced  in  its  various  suggestions,  the  other  is 
the  briefer,  more  compact  form  which  deals 
with  a  single  theme.  Such  incidents  are  easily 
identified,  and  so  admit  of  specific  consideration. 
The  fact  that  at  least  one  of  this  type  has  already 
been  noted  as  an  interpolation,  and  th,e  further 
consideration  that  the  longer  and  more  complex 
incidents  also  seem  to  be  inserted  matter,  con- 
tribute to  the  hypothesis  that  in  many  cases 
the  lesser  incidents  may  also  have  come  into 
the  Gospel  from  an  extraneous  source. 

In  the  Book  of  John  such  incidents  are 
eleven  in  number.  While  there  are  several 
others  which  may  seem  to  belong  to  the  class, 
yet  in  every  such  case  there  are  marked  differ- 
entiations, and  we  can  best  approach  this  phase 
of  the  problem  after  we  have  examined  the 
passages  in  question.  The  first  of  the  list  is  the 
calling  of  Philip  and  Nathanael,  the  second  the 
Miracle  at  Cana  in  Galilee,  the  third  the  Cleans- 
ing of  the  Temple,  and  the  fourth  the  Inter- 
view with  Nicodemus.  These  follow  in  rapid 
sequence  with  a  minimum  of  connecting  com- 
ment.    The  Master  passes  rapidly  from  Jeru- 

110 


PROLEGOMENA 

salem  to  Galilee,  and  so  again;  there  seems  no 
purpose  in  the  recorded  movements;  in  fact 
there  is  thus  raised  an  irreconcilable  chrono- 
logical problem  which  in  the  end  has  led  many 
to  reject  the  historicity  of  the  Gospel.  Such  a 
confusion  becomes  evidence  in  the  problem. 
But  when  the  four  incidents  have  been  elim- 
inated together  with  a  few  verses  of  "sayings," 
the  narrative  resumes  at  precisely  the  point 
where  it  had  been  engaged  before  the  intrusion 
of  the  memorabilia.  The  argument  is  precisely 
the  same  as  that  which  we  have  followed  here- 
tofore; it  enables  the  same  exhibit  and  justifies 
the  same  conclusion.  The  force  of  this  can 
be  well  exhibited  by  quotation. 

"Again  the  next  day  after,  John  stood,  and  two  of 
his  disciples;  and  looking  upon  Jesus  as  He  walked, 
John  said,  '  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God ! '  And  the  two  dis- 
ciples heard  him  speak  and  they  followed  Jesus.  Then 
Jesus  turned  and  saw  them  following,  and  saith  unto 
them,  'What  seek  ye?'  They  said  unto  Him,  'Rabbi, 
where  dwellest  Thou?'  He  saith  unto  them,  'Come 
and  see.'  They  came  and  saw  where  He  dwelt,  and 
abode  with  Him  that  day,  for  it  was  about  the  tenth 
hour.  One  of  the  two  which  heard  John,  and  followed 
Him,  was  Andrew,  Simon  Peter's  brother.  He  first 
findeth  his  own  brother  Simon,  and  he  brought  him 
to  Jesus.  And  when  Jesus  beheld  him,  He  said,  'Thou 
art  Simon,  the  son  of  Jonas;  thou  shalt  be  called  Cephas.' 
After  these  things  came  Jesus  and  His  disciples  into 
the  land  of  Judea;  and  there  He  tarried  with  them  and 
baptized.    And  John  also  was  baptizing  in  ^non,  near 

111 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

to  Salim,  because  there  was  much  water  there;  and  they 
came  and  were  baptized.  For  John  was  not  yet  cast 
into  prison.  There  arose  a  question  between  some  of 
John's  disciples  and  the  Jews  about  purifying;  and 
they  came  to  John  and  said  unto  him,  'Rabbi,  He  that 
was  with  thee  beyond  Jordan,  to  whom  thou  bearest 
witness,  behold  the  same  baptizes,  and  all  men  come 
to  Him." 

It  would  seem  quite  clear  that  there  is  no 
break  in  the  text.  The  theme  formally  an- 
nounced is  the  testimony  of  John.  It  is  scarcely 
likely  that  there  should  be  so  marked  a  digres- 
sion as  the  Galilean  journey,  and  the  special 
events  in  Jerusalem,  and  then  a  recurrence  to 
the  point  formerly  in  hand.  Primitive  writers 
indeed  are  likely  to  digress,  but  they  are  equally 
unlikely  to  return.  Besides  this  there  is  no 
place  for  the  Galilean  ministry  before  the  im- 
prisonment of  John,  which  in  the  Synoptics  is 
made  the  specific  starting  point  for  that  work. 
If,  then,  the  incidents  in  question  be  regarded 
as  interpolations,  the  whole  problem  is  at  once 
solved.  We  are  dealing  not  with  questions  of 
chronology,  but  with  the  motives  which  led 
to  the  insertion  of  the  series  at  this  point.  The 
association  of  ideas  explains  the  interpolation 
of  the  call  of  Nathanael  in  connection  with  the 
first  acquaintance  with  Andrew  and  Simon. 
It  would  seem  topically  the  logical  place.  Nor 
would  there  appear  any  reasons  against  it  in  an 
age  when  chronological  accuracy  was  not  highly 

112 


PROLEGOMENA 

esteemed.  But  having  inserted  the  first  mem- 
orabilia, it  would  be  exceedingly  natural  for 
the  editor  to  add  those  next  in  his  series,  since 
the  text  was  lying  before  him.  Thus  the 
relationship  would  in  reality  be  due  to  the 
copyist's  convenience  rather  than  any  specific 
motive. 

It  appears  also  that  each  of  these  mem- 
orabilia has  characteristics  which  are  quite 
akin  to  the  longer  ones  already  examined.  There 
is  the  same  tendency  to  develop  his  story  by 
conversation,  and  thus  to  vivify  personality. 
There  is  indeed  less  opportunity  for  it  than  in 
the  more  complicated  situations  where  the  is- 
sue moves  dramatically  through  several  scenes; 
but  under  these  limitations  the  matter  is  well 
done,  so  that  the  several  persons  live  for  us  as 
do  but  few  other  individualities  of  the  Gospel 
story.  Nowhere  else  does  Philip  appear  more 
definitely,  while  Nathanael  is  presented  to  us 
in  clear  outline.  So  also  the  mother  of  Jesus 
moves  with  simple  dignity  across  the  scene,  in 
an  ever-recognizable  character;  while  the  master 
of  the  feast  comes  to  us  across  the  centuries  as  a 
pleasant  wit.  Nicodemus  also  is  an  imperish- 
able character;  we  have  but  to  close  our  eyes 
to  realize  the  scene — he  moves  with  a  natural- 
ness that  is  indeed  a  proof  of  his  reality. 

There  is  also  the  same  tendency  to  put  into 
the  mouth  of  Jesus  genuine  Logia.     It  was  in- 

8  113 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

deed  a  splendid  way  of  exemplifying  His  method, 
and  may  be  regarded  as  highly  characteristic 
of  Him;  but  it  is  a  point  of  identification  that 
goes  far  to  unite  the  two  series  of  memorabilia. 
When  also  we  recognize  the  presence  of  editorial 
comment,  of  quite  the  same  nature  even  if  less 
frequent,  it  seems  clear  that  the  identity  of  the 
two  series  is  a  tenable  proposition. 

Commentators  have  been  quite  clear  in 
most  instances  that  the  "cleansing  of  the 
temple"  belongs  as  it  is  given  in  the  Synoptics 
in  connection  with  the  final  controversy  of  the 
last  Passover.  They  have  been  forced  to  a 
number  of  devices  to  explain  its  presence  in 
this  portion  of  the  narrative;  indeed,  some  have 
deemed  this  to  discredit  the  Gospel.  But  we 
see  again  that  this  difficulty  has  vanished  under 
the  present  hypothesis.  So  also  the  whole  tenor 
of  the  conversation  with  Nicodemus  belongs  to 
a  later  period,  and  may  well  be  deemed  to  have 
occurred  after  that  interesting  time  when  he 
had  publicly  protested  against  a  premature 
judgment  against  Jesus. 

Under  the  circumstances  there  is  of  course 
an  editorial  element  present  in  the  stories; 
sometimes  it  is  by  way  of  explanation  and 
sometimes  by  way  of  connection,  so  as  to  give 
the  effect  of  continuity.  But  always  this  effect 
is  conspicuously  transparent,  and  is  patently 
used  to  link  together  incidents  which  lack  a 

114 


PROLEGOMENA 

natural  affinity.  Indeed,  the  most  rational  ex- 
planation of  their  presence  is  the  accident  that 
they  were  so  related  in  the  collection  from  which 
they  were  copied.  These  relations  imply  that 
they  had  previously  been  brought  together  and 
had  some  circulation  as  a  pamphlet  of  memo- 
rabilia. 

The  fifth  of  these  incidents  takes  us  again 
to  Galilee;  it  presents  a  special  version  of  what 
is  otherwise  given  in  the  Synoptics,  as  some 
commentators  believe,  in  the  healing  of  the 
centurion's  servant.  There  are  indeed  obvious 
differences,  which  make  the  identification  diffi- 
cult; yet  it  may  well  be  that  these  differences 
are  only  such  as  would  sometimes  arise  between 
the  first  and  second  phases  of  tradition.  In 
the  story  itself  we  can  observe  the  notable  vivid- 
ness and  the  conversational  development  of 
the  theme.  There  is  also  the  tendency  to  fol- 
low the  chief  character  through  a  change  of 
scene,  and  it  may  be  noted  that,  as  is  not  un- 
commonly the  case,  the  Master  Himself  is 
subordinated  to  a  presentation  of  the  effect 
upon  the  suppliant.  These  characteristics  are 
so  familiar  that  we  can  hardly  hesitate  to  class 
this  story  with  the  others.  It  is  placed,  however, 
in  a  natural  break  in  the  development  of  the 
principal  narrative,  so  that  no  argument  can 
be  drawn  from  this  source;  and  we  are  obliged 
to  rest  the  case  with  its  general  resemblance  to 

115 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

the  other  instances  which  have  been  examined 
in  detail.  It  may  even  be  that  this  situation 
strengthens  the  general  argument,  for  it  would 
have  been  very  unusual  indeed  if  in  so  many 
insertions  at  least  one  had  not  coincided  with 
the  changes  in  the  text. 

The  sixth  instance  is  the  colloquy  with  his 
brethren  recorded  in  the  opening  verses  of  the 
seventh  chapter.  Here  again  we  confront  an 
historical  difficulty  in  the  contrast  between 
what  Jesus  said  and  did.  His  answer  to  His 
brethren  is  at  least  disingenuous  as  the  record 
now  stands,  nor  does  there  seem  any  adequate 
reason  for  His  evading  their  taunt.  But  if  the 
matter  be  regarded  as  an  incident,  true  with 
reference  to  one  or  another  of  the  feasts  of  the 
Jews,  and  given  here  out  of  its  natural  place, 
then  this  difficulty  of  interpretation  entirely 
disappears.  But  the  theme  is  sufficiently  akin 
to  the  public  feasts  of  the  Jews  to  explain  how 
it  would  come  to  be  inserted  in  this  place.  So 
we  have  the  disappearance  of  a  difficulty  on  the 
one  hand,  and  on  the  other  an  explanation  of 
editorial  preference.  These  considerations  are 
further  borne  out  by  a  perusal  of  the  context 
with  the  passage  eliminated.  There  is  a  great 
gain  in  continuity,  and  the  narrative  moves 
swiftly  toward  the  vital  point.  There  is  here  a 
new  departure  in  the  account,  but  it  opens  in 

116 


PROLEGOMENA 

the  sentence  before  the  insertion,  and  proceeds 
continuously  with  that  which  follows: 

"Now  the  Jews  Feast  of  Tabernacles  was  at  hand, 
and  the  Jews  sought  Him  at  the  feast,  and  said,  '  Where 
is  He?'  and  there  was  much  murmuring  among  the 
people  concerning  Him;  for  some  said,  'He  is  a  good 
man!'  Others  said,  'Nay,  but  He  deceives  the  people.' 
Howbeit  no  man  spake  openly  of  Him  for  fear  of  the 
Jews.  Now  about  the  midst  of  the  feast,  Jesus  went 
up  into  the  Temple  and  taught." 

To  adjust  the  interpolation  and  to  explain 
its  relation  to  the  other  parts  of  the  narrative 
there  is  the  same  tendency  to  editorial  ex- 
pression. We  notice  also  the  same  placing  of 
Logia  in  the  mouth  of  Jesus  which  is  the  favorite 
literary  device  of  the  writer  of  the  memorabilia. 
Thus  by  virtue  of  the  general  character  of  the 
passage,  its  relation  to  the  context,  and  the 
setting  it  occupies  we  may  place  this  also  in 
association  with  the  various  interpolations  al- 
ready considered. 

Concerning  the  seventh  incident  on  the  list 
we  need  not  tarry,  for  it  deals  with  the  woman 
taken  in  adultery;  and  this  by  common  consent 
is"an  interpolation.  Indeed,  the  problem  con- 
cerning it  is  of  the  reverse  order — how  it  came 
to  be  omitted  from  many  texts  rather  than  as 
to  its  insertion  in  its  present  place.  The  story 
so  clearly  shares  the  literary  characteristics  of 

117 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

the  others  which  we  have  examined,  and  de- 
velops by  much  the  same  processes,  that  we  are 
quite  incHned  to  admit  it  to  this  special  col- 
lection, and  to  explain  its  absence  from  many 
of  the  most  ancient  texts  merely  as  an  accident, 
a  failure  to  transcribe  it  in  its  proper  place. 
Later,  when  the  error  had  been  made,  it  was  too 
late  to  call  back  the  books,  so  the  initial  circula- 
tion, and  the  more  authoritative  one,  omitted 
this  vital  story.  Hence  one  line  of  transcription 
would  always  lack  the  passage  and  the  other  be 
of  lesser  authority.  Be  this  as  it  may,  it  suffices 
here  to  say  that  the  matter  of  interpolation 
is  decisively  established,  and  so  gives  us  the 
typical  conditions  under  which  it  took  place. 
From  these  conditions  the  analysis  has  been 
placed  upon  a  critical  basis;  canons  have  been 
developed  which  have  guided  in  the  solution  of 
the  problems  wherever  it  has  arisen.  This 
much  at  least  has  resulted  from  the  inadvertence 
which  omitted  the  story  and  the  ineffectual 
effort  to  remedy  it  and  carry  out  the  original 
plans  of  the  editor. 

It  seems  that  in  the  next  incident  the  writer 
has  missed  his  opportunity — it  admitted  of  a 
greater  development  than  he  has  given  it,  and 
this  on  the  basis  of  a  known  tradition.  The 
story  concerns  the  anointing  of  Jesus  with  the 
costly  ointment.  It  could  easily  have  been 
combined  with  the  other  story  of  Martha,  cum- 

118 


PROLEGOMENA 

bered  with  much  serving.  Indeed,  it  is  possible 
that  so  it  actually  was,  for  the  incident  is  brief 
beyond  the  usual  wont  in  such  cases,  and  would, 
with  the  other,  make  the  standard  length  for 
the  briefer  memorabilia.  When,  however,  we 
turn  to  the  matter  before  us,  we  are  again  struck 
with  the  richness  of  the  present  account  as 
compared  with  that  in  the  Synoptics.  Here 
the  personnel  of  the  company  stands  out  in  a 
marked  way.  The  giver  of  the  ointment  has 
an  individuality  presented  in  but  a  few  strokes 
of  the  pen;  we  see  Judas  in  the  meanness  of 
his  heart;  while  Jesus  is  the  same  gracious  figure 
that  continually  greets  us  through  the  series  of 
incidents.  Even  the  usual  Logia  is  not  lacking, 
nor  do  we  look  far  for  the  identifying  editorial 
comment.  All  the  characteristics  are  in  evi- 
dence. Tested  also  by  the  elimination  canon, 
it  is  found  that  the  narrative  is  but  interrupted 
rather  than  helped  forward  by  the  account. 
The  narrative  proceeds  as  follows: 

"Then  Jesus,  six  days  before  the  Passover,  came  to 
Bethany,  where  Lazarus  was  which  had  been  dead, 
whom  He  raised  from  the  dead.  Much  people  of  the 
Jews  therefore  knew  that  He  was  there,  and  they 
came  not  for  Jesus'  sake  only,  but  that  they  might  see 
Lazarus  also,  whom  He  had  raised  from  the  dead.  But 
the  chief  priests  consulted  that  they  might  put  Lazarus 
also  to  death,  because  that  by  reason  of  him  many  of 
the  Jews  went  away  and  believed  on  Jesus." 

119 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

These  comments  indeed  create  a  situation 
which  invites  the  introduction  of  both  the  story 
of  the  Raising  of  Lazarus  and  also  this  Feast  in 
Bethany;  but  the  action  of  the  narrative  is  so 
swift,  and  the  event  so  tense,  that  it  is  alto- 
gether unlikely  that  the  writer  would  pause 
even  for  so  simple  and  affecting  a  story  as  the 
passage  contains.  Such,  in  fact,  is  not  his 
method,  for  we  already  begin  to  get  glimpses 
of  the  plan  and  intention  of  the  ground  narra- 
tive into  which  the  interpolations  are  made. 
This  will  become  clearer  with  further  analysis; 
but  in  the  end  it  becomes  one  of  the  strongest 
of  the  contributory  arguments. 

In  the  midst  of  this  swiftly-moving  drama 
we  have  another  digression  which  challenges 
attention.  Certain  Greeks  are  represented  as 
desiring  to  see  the  Master;  a  voice  from  heaven 
is  heard.  These  are  unusual  things,  and 
scarcely  constitute  a  story;  yet  the  incident 
has  been  wrought  into  an  account  that  corre- 
sponds as  nearly  as  its  nature  will  permit  with 
the  style  which  is  peculiar  to  the  memorabilia. 
The  likeness  is  not  conclusive,  for  there  is  the 
lack  of  the  dramatic  unity — the  Greeks  drop 
out  of  sight,  and  Jesus  holds  the  center  of  at- 
tention while  He  utters  a  great  prayer,  which 
is  answered  by  the  opening  heaven.  The  whole 
description  is  couched  more  nearly  in  the  terms 
and    spirit    of   the    interview    with  Nathanael. 

120 


PROLEGOMENA 

This  may  be  a  bond  of  connection.  But  while  the 
internal  character  is  less  evident,  the  context 
is  conclusive.  The  incident  is  associated  with 
certain  Logia,  but  following  these  there  is  the 
most  striking  resumption  of  the  history.  No 
suture  is  more  clearly  defined  than  this — it 
becomes  its  own  demonstration.  The  text 
reads : 

"  ...  .  For  this  cause  also  the  people  met 
Him,  for  Ihat  they  heard  that  He  had  done  this  miracle; 
the  Pharisees  therefore  said  among  themselves,  '  Perceive 
ye  now  how  ye  prevail  nothing?  Behold  the  world  is  gone 
after  Him.'  .  .  ,  But  though  He  had  done  so  many 
miracles  before  them,  yet  they  believed  not  on  Him. 
Nevertheless  among  the  chief  rulers  also  many  be- 
Heved  on  Him;  but  because  of  the  Pharisees  they  did 
not  confess  Him,  lest  they  should  be  put  out  of  the 
synagogue;  for  they  loved  the  praise  of  men  more  than 
the  praise  of  God." 

We  come  now  to  the  final  incidents  of  the 
series,  two  items  that  have  an  intricate  associ- 
ation; these  passages  deal  with  the  Washing 
of  the  Feet  and  the  Defection  of  Judas.  The 
thirteenth  chapter  in  which  they  are  recorded 
makes  a  threefold  beginning  before  the  story 
gets  in  motion.  This  in  itself  is  suspicious;  but 
when  to  this  fact  is  added  that  the  third  opening 
relates  to  the  event  immediately  following,  the 
second  opening  to  a  story  told  a  few  verses 
farther  on,  and  the  first  opening  to  an  account 
beyond  this — it  affords  ground  for  considering 

121 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

that  we  are  dealing  with  an  interpolation  within 
an  interpolation;  thus 

Narrative  (incident  [anecdote]  incident)  nar- 
rative. 

When  the  incident  and  anecdote,  with  some 
associated  Logia,  are  excised,  the  narrative 
closes  in  such  satisfying  fashion  that  the  sutures 
are  seen  to  match.  It  is  the  canon  of  criticism 
which  has  heretofore  justified  itself.  The  ex- 
hibit can  be  briefly  made: 

"Now,  before  the  feast  of  the  Passover,  when  His 
hour  was  come  that  He  should  depart  out  of  this  world, 
having  loved  His  own  He  loved  them  to  the  end.  .  .  . 
Jesus  knowing  that  the  Father  had  given  all  things  to 
His  hands,  and  that  He  came  forth  from  God  and 
went  to  God,     .     .     .     said, 

'Now  is  the  Son  of  man  glorified. 
And  God  shall  glorify  Him  in  Himself, 
And  straightway  shall  He  glorify  Him. 

Little  children,  yet  a  little  while  am  I  with  you     .     .     .  '* 

The  solemn  words  with  which  the  passage  begins 
are  quite  out  of  keeping  with  the  practical 
demonstration  of  equality  which  stands  next  in 
the  usual  order.  On  the  other  hand  they  are 
the  very  essence  of  the  disclosures  in  the  dia- 
logue as  presented  in  the  excerpt  above. 

The  interrelations  of  the  two  incidents  which 
lie  between  the  introduction  and  the  logion  of 
the  narrative  are  such  as  to  suggest  their  fusion 

122 


PROLEGOMENA 

in  whatever  manuscript  was  used  by  the  final 
editor;  that  is  to  say  this  fusion  was  previously 
accomplished,  and  the  combined  passage  inter- 
polated as  it  now  appears. 

It  is,  however,  quite  possible  to  separate  the 
elements  of  this  fusion.  The  accretion  of  brief 
Logia  somewhat  complicates  the  matter,  but 
when  allowance  is  made  therefor  the  incidents 
gain  in  clearness  by  the  separation.  If  the 
allusion  with  which  the  fused  passage  begins  be 
followed  as  to  subject  matter,  the  story  of  the 
defection  of  Judas  stands  revealed. 

During  supper,  the  devil  having  already  put  it 
into  the  heart  of  Judas  Iscariot,  Simon's  son,  to  betray 
Him,  Jesus  said,  'I  speak  not  of  you  all;  I  know  whom 
I  have  chosen;  from  henceforth  I  tell  you  before  it 
comes  to  pass,  that  when  it  is  come  to  pass  you  may 
believe.'  When  Jesus  had  thus  said,  He  was  troubled 
in  spirit,  and  testified,  and  said,     .     .     ." 

and  so  to  the  end  of  the  incident: 

"He  then  having  received  the  sop,  went  out  straight- 
way; and  it  was  night." 

The  connection  between  this  and  the  original 
narrative  is  easily  made  by  the  transitional 
comment,  "When  therefore  He  was  gone  out, 
Jesus  .  .  .  ",  and  so  the  logion  follows  as 
shown  in  the  excerpt  from  the  original  narrative. 
There  remains,  then,  the  story  of  the  Wash- 
ing of  the  Feet — this  is  completely  told  save 

123 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

for  an  introductory  clause.  It  is  quite  possible 
that  the  words  with  which  the  chapter  opens 
may  have  pertained  to  the  incident.  In  which 
case  it  would  read: 

"Now,  before  the  feast  of  the  Passover,  .  .  . 
Jesus  rose  from  the  supper,  and  laid  aside  His  gar- 
ments 

The  passage  can  be  spared  from  the  ground 
work,  which  would  then  begin,  by  the  change 
of  a  letter, 

"When  His  hour  was  come  that  He  should  depart 
out  of  this  world." 

There  is  considerable  critical  justification  for 
surmising  a  change  of  the  letter  in  any  event. 
But  the  issue  is  comparatively  trivial,  for  with 
such  a  redundancy  of  beginnings  as  has  been 
shown  the  beginning  of  this  incident  might 
easily  have  been  lost  in  the  fusion. 

The  several  memorabilia  which  have  been 
thus  discriminated  have  marked  characteristics 
in  common.  They  have  a  similar  brevity  and  a 
dramatic  quality  which  would  give  them  cur- 
rency. They  are,  however,  of  the  later  tra- 
ditional development,  with  less  of  the  immediate 
perception  of  locality  and  time.  It  is  possible 
to  regard  them  as  proceeding  from  the  same 

124 


PROLEGOMENA 

hand.  This  hypothesis  is  emphasized  by  oc- 
casional hints  of  their  association  in  manuscript, 
previous  to  their  becoming  imbedded  in  the 
Fourth  Gospel.  The  critical  minutiae  upon 
which  such  an  hypothesis  must  depend  for  con- 
firmation offer  an  attractive  field  for  research. 


125 


Ill 


THE  COMPOSITION  OF  THE  SYNOPTIC 
GOSPELS 

There  has  existed  among  students  of  the 
problem  of  Gospel  origins  a  tendency  to  divide 
the  issue  as  between  the  Synoptic  and  Johan- 
nine  problems,  one  giving  major  attention  to 
the  one  phase  and  others  to  the  other.  But 
the  analysis  which  has  now  been  made,  while 
affecting  only  the  Gospel  of  John,  shows  the 
impracticability  of  such  a  division.  And  indeed 
it  is  fair  to  suggest  that  possibly  much  of  the 
confusion  concerning  the  subject  has  arisen  from 
dividing  what  in  the  nature  of  its  origin  was  not 
divided.  Both  Gospels  are  of  the  same  age, 
broadly  speaking — the  same  general  conditions 
produced  them.  Therefore  we  may  reasonably 
expect  to  find  the  same  symptoms  in  both. 
Because  heretofore  this  similarity  has  not  been 
suflBciently  recognized,  they  have  been  sepa- 
rated and  accorded  a  different  treatment.  But 
the  real  diflSculty  is  in  the  analysis  rather  than 
in  the  nature  of  the  data. 

These  reflections  grow  out  of  the  fact  that 
we  have  found  in  the  Book  of  John  an  element 

126 


PROLEGOMENA 

which  has  exact  correspondence  with  the  chief 
constituent  factor  of  the  Book  of  Mark;  that  is, 
the  Gospels  are  seen  to  be  largely  composed  of 
Memorabilia.  So  far  as  this  factor  is  concerned 
they  deserve  to  be  placed  on  the  same  plane 
and  studied  by  comparison.  The  element  of 
memorabilia  in  John  has  now  been  discrim- 
inated; it  is  natural,  then,  to  turn  to  the  Synop- 
tics and  analyze  them  with  the  same  end  in 
view.  The  fact  that  they  are  composed  of 
such  elements  is  too  patent  to  require  proof. 
But  the  nature  of  these  factors  and  their  pos- 
sible origin  is  still  a  problem.  This,  then,  can 
be  approached  by  such  a  system  of  analysis 
as  has  already  been  tested.  But  in  this  case 
the  continuity  of  the  general  narrative  is  lacking 
as  a  test.  We  are  dealing  not  with  interpolations 
into  a  larger  text,  but  with  aggregations  of 
incidents  more  or  less  closely  connected.  It 
is  highly  probable  that  all  three  of  the  Synoptic 
Gospels  used,  each  in  its  own  fashion,  the  same 
original.  Where,  then,  the  sequence  of  the 
events  presented  in  the  several  Gospels  is  the 
same,  we  can  be  reasonably  confident  that  we 
have  the  original  arrangement.  Where  varia- 
tions from  this  sequence  occur  they  will  require 
an  explanation.  If  no  explanation  centered 
in  the  processes  of  transcription  or  combination 
be  naturally  suggested,  then  we  shall  naturally 
have  recourse  to  the  supposition  that  we  are 

127 


DID   JESUS   WRITE    HIS   OWN    GOSPEL 

dealing  with  a  distinctive  element.  This  sup- 
position will  in  each  case  admit  of  careful 
testing.  It  is  too  much  to  suppose  that  at 
this  distance  we  can  reach  an  absolute  finality 
in  such  matters;  but  an  approximate  con- 
clusion will  be  of  immense  service  in  inter- 
preting the  times. 

There  have  been  many  scholars  who  have 
relied  upon  the  minutiae  of  scholarship  for  the 
determination  of  such  matters,  and  have  sought 
to  distinguish  manuscripts  by  the  use  of  par- 
ticular words.  There  is  indeed  some  value  to 
such  usages,  but  when  it  is  remembered  that 
these  narratives  have  been  rendered  from  an- 
other language  into  the  Greek,  and  that  accuracy 
of  quotation  was  never  an  important  matter 
with  these  ancients,  it  would  seem  indeed  that 
the  legitimate  usefulness  of  such  a  method  is 
easily  transcended.  It  is  more  fitting  to  rely 
upon  the  broader  distinction,  such  as  are  quite 
patent  to  the  ordinary  observer  and  can  be 
tested  without  dependence  upon  a  scholarship 
which,  by  being  finical,  sometimes  loses  all 
proportion.  With  such  a  caution  in  mind  we 
can  the  more  reaily  proceed  with  the  simple 
analysis  now  proposed.  The  first  step  indeed 
is  one  which  the  veriest  layman  in  such  matters 
can  take  for  himself — it  is  simply  the  careful 
listing  of  the  several  events  narrated,  with  the 
view  of  determining  their  sequence  in  the  several 

128 


PROLEGOMENA 

narratives.  The  matter  can  best  be  done  by 
using  Mark  as  the  basis,  and  by  giving  to  each 
incident  its  proper  number,  and  then  carrying 
on  the  same  process  with  the  other  Gospels  and 
setting  the  results  in  a  proper  comparison. 

We  may  note  in  beginning  this  analysis 
that  the  Book  of  Mark  lends  itself  to  the  process; 
that  is  to  say,  that  it  naturally  admits  of  such 
divisions  as  have  a  special  unity  and  are  easy 
of  identification.  It  is  in  effect  merely  a  sequence 
of  these  memorabilia.  These  then  may  be 
catalogued  as  follows: 

1.  Work  of  John  Baptist Matt.  Luke 

2.  Baptism  of  Jesus Matt.  Luke 

3.  Journey  to  Galilee Matt.  Luke 

4.  Call  of  Disciples Matt 

5.  In  Capernaum Matt.  Luke 

6.  Casts  out  unclean  spirit Luke 

7.  Heals  Peter's  mother-in-law Luke 

8.  Solitary  prayer Luke 

9.  Heals  the  leper Matt.  Luke 

10.  Heals  the  palsied  man Luke 

11.  Calls  Levi— Logia Luke 

12.  Through  the  cornfields Luke 

13.  Heals  the  withered  hand Luke 

14.  Ordains  The  Twelve Luke 

15.  Relatives  would  seize  Him •  •  •  • 

16.  Gives  the  Parables Luke 

17.  Stills  the  storm Matt.  Luke 

18.  Heals  the  demoniac Matt.  Luke 

19.  Jairus' daughter Matt.  Luke 

20.  Visits  Nazareth •  •  •  • 

9  129 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

21.  Commissions  The  Twelve Matt.  Luke 

22.  Death  of  John  the  Baptist Matt.  Luke 

23.  Miracle  of  five  loaves  and  two 

fishes Matt.  Luke 

24.  Walks  the  water Matt. 

25.  Controversy  with  Pharisees Matt. 

26.  Sidonian  woman Matt. 

27.  Heals  the  deaf  and  dumb Matt. 

28.  Feeds  the  four  thousand Matt. 

29.  Sign  from  heaven Matt. 

80.  Question  of  leaven Matt. 

81.  Peter's  confession Matt.  Luke 

32.  The  Transfiguration Matt.  Luke 

33.  The  epileptic Matt.  Luke 

34.  Greatness  of  child Matt.  Luke 

35.  Independent  disciple Luke 

36.  Delivers  Logia Matt.  .... 

87.  Questions  of  divorce Matt.  .... 

38.  Invites  the  children Matt.  Luke 

39.  Rich  young  man Matt.  Luke 

40.  Announces  His  death Luke 

41.  Ambition  of  James  and  John.  .  .  .  Matt.  .... 

42.  Blind  Bartimseus Matt.  Luke 

43.  Enters  Jerusalem Matt.  Luke 

44.  Cleanses  the  Temple Matt.  Luke 

45.  Controversies Matt.  Luke 

46.  The  widow's  mite Luke 

47.  The  Prophecies Matt.  Luke 

48.  The  Anointing Matt 

49.  Judas  plots Matt.  Luke 

50.  The  Last  Supper Matt.  Luke 

51.  Peter's  boast Matt.  Luke 

52.  Gethsemane Matt.  Luke 

53.  The  arrest Matt.  Luke 

54.  The  faithful  young  man .... 

130 


PROLEGOMENA 

55.  Peter's  denial Matt.  Luke 

56.  Jesus  is  accused Matt.  Luke 

57.  Peter  again Matt 

58.  Jesus  before  Pilate Matt.  Luke 

59.  Barabbas Matt.  Luke 

60.  The  crucifixion Matt.  Luke 

61.  Death  of  Jesus Matt.  Luke 

62.  The  burial Matt.  Luke 

63.  The  women  at  the  tomb Matt.  Luke 

A  casual  scrutiny  of  this  table  reveals  the 
fact  that  the  discrepancies  between  the  several 
Gospels  fall  into  two  groups.  In  the  Matthew 
group  there  are  ten  incidents  which  are  omitted 
in  regular  sequence.  In  the  Luke  group  there 
are  seven  so  omitted.  But  when  we  examine 
other  parts  of  Matthew  we  find  that  the  omitted 
passages  occur  in  other  connections,  but  in 
substantially  the  same  sequence.  If  then  these 
incidents  had  come  to  the  compiler  of  Matthew 
in  the  form  of  a  completed  Mark,  why  did  he 
vary  from  the  order .^  On  the  other  hand,  when 
he  came  to  use  them  how  did  he  chance  to  have 
the  same  order  of  insertion  which  obtains  in 
Mark  in  its  final  form?  The  answer  is  rela- 
tively simple — we  have  only  to  suppose  the 
existence  of  two  series  of  memorabilia,  the  one 
presenting  the  form  in  which  Matthew  and 
Mark  agree  as  to  sequence,  and  the  other  con- 
taining the  series  of  incidents  which  are  dif- 
ferently inserted.  Having  such  documents  in 
hand,  we  may  surmise  that  Mark  effected  the 

131 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

combination  in  one  way  and  Matthew  in  an- 
other. Using  this  as  the  hypothesis,  we  may 
next  inquire  as  to  the  nature  of  the  omitted 
series.  When  they  are  examined  they  are  found 
in  fact  to  contain  such  incidents  as  center  in 
the  city  of  Capernaum,  to  be  in  effect  a  "  Gospel 
of  Capernaum."  If  we  add  to  this  series  the 
incidents  in  which  Luke  varies  from  Mark,  but 
in  which  Matthew  and  Mark  are  agreed,  each 
placing  one  at  the  beginning  and  the  other  at 
the  ending  of  the  series,  we  have  a  complete 
cycle  of  events — twelve  in  number.  This  be- 
comes apparent  when  they  are  listed  together. 
This  Capernaum  document  then  would  contain: 

The  calling  of  the  disciples; 

The  casting  out  of  the  unclean  spirit; 

The  healing  of  Peter's  mother-in-law; 

The  healing  of  the  palsied  man; 

The  calling  of  Levi; 

The  incident  of  the  cornfields; 

Healing  the  man  with  the  withered  hand; 

The  visit  from  His  relatives; 

The  giving  the  parables; 

The  visit  to  Nazareth. 

Thus  tentatively  at  least  we  are  brought  to 
the  same  conclusion  as  was  reached  in  the  case 
of  the  Johannine  memorabilia — that  these  are 
grouped  in  minor  documents  and  finally  have 
come  to  their  place  in  the  present  Gospels  by  a 
process  of  combination.  Each  instance  sustains 
the  other,  and  both  agree  so  thoroughly  with  the 

132 


PROLEGOMENA 

tendency  of  the  times  that  the  conclusion  may 
be  accepted  in  principle  at  least. 

We  may  then  for  the  time  being  pass  boldly 
to  the  assumption  that  the  portions  omitted  by 
Luke  have  a  similar  identity  and  constituted 
an  addition  to  the  Capernaum  collection.  This 
is  the  more  probable  from  the  fact  that  while 
Luke  elsewhere  follows  the  arrangement  in 
Mark  with  great  fidelity,  yet  these  omitted 
passages  cover  the  same  ground  as  the  basic 
work,  and  the  keener  editorial  discrimination 
of  Luke  was  averse  to  such  duplication. 

Hypothetically  then  we  have  at  least  two 
documents  of  memorabilia  before  us,  in  addition 
to  that  inferred  from  John,  so  that  these  last 
are  not  unique  except  in  their  literary  quality. 
One  of  these  groups  is  the  ground  work  with 
which  the  other  has  been  associated.  It  be- 
comes important,  then,  to  trace  this  ground 
work  through  the  three  Gospels  and  to  observe 
the  connections  which  it  makes  with  the  other 
material;  in  such  a  way  the  principles  of  inter- 
polation and  combination  will  become  still 
further  apparent,  and  may  indeed  be  finally 
fixed. 

The  first  step  in  this  process  is  to  examine 
the  Book  of  Mark  with  reference  to  the  con- 
nection wherever  there  has  been  an  inter- 
polation, as  indicated  in  the  foregoing  hypoth- 
esis.   The  first  of  such  lacunae  is  Mark  1: 16-34. 

133 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

The  text  on  either  side,  when  read  continuously, 
is  as  follows: 

"Now  after  John  was  cast  into  prison,  Jesus  came 
into  Galilee  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  Kingdom  of 
God,  and  saying,  'The  time  is  fulfilled,  the  Kingdom  of 
God  is  at  hand;  repent  ye  and  believe  the  gospel.'  And 
He  preached  in  their  synagogues  throughout  all  Galilee 
and  cast  out  devils." 

The  connection  in  this  case  is  surely  satisfactory 
enough  to  meet  the  most  exigent  of  minds.  So 
apparent  is  the  continuity  that  we  may  at 
once  pass  on  to  the  next  lacuna. 

The  story  of  the  healing  of  the  leper  is 
common  to  all  three  Gospels,  but  there  is  a  long 
passage  following  which  is  omitted  from  Mat- 
thew— this  gives  us  a  gap  from  Mark  1 :  45  to 
4:35.  The  context  when  united  has  a  certain 
easy  transition.  The  question  indeed  hinges 
as  to  whether  or  no  the  thirty-fifth  verse  is 
to  be  reckoned  with  the  ground  work;  such  an 
interpretation  gives  a  very  fitting  transition. 
Beginning  with  Mark  1:45,  we  read: 

"But  he  went  out  and  began  to  publish  it  much, 
and  to  blaze  abroad  the  matter,  insomuch  that  Jesus 
could  no  more  openly  enter  the  city,  but  was  without 
in  the  desert  places;  and  they  came  to  Him  from  every 
quarter.  And  the  same  day,  when  the  even  was  come, 
He  said  unto  them,  'Let  us  pass  over  unto  the  other 
side.'  And  when  they  had  sent  away  the  multitude, 
they  took  Him  even  as  He  was  in  the  ship;  and  there 
were  also  with  Him  other  little  ships." 

134 


PROLEGOMENA 

The  situation  which  is  thus  presented  is 
cohesive;  the  psychology  of  this  departure 
coincides  with  the  caution  to  the  leper  against 
publicity.  On  the  other  hand  the  narrative  as 
it  stands  has  a  situation  in  which  there  is  a 
private  conference  with  the  disciples  immedi- 
ately before  the  voyage;  the  multitude  has 
already  disappeared.  So  that  the  situation 
favors  the  argument  for  the  dual  document. 

The  third  lacuna  arises  from  the  omission  in 
Luke.  Immediately  after  the  feeding  of  the 
five  thousand  Luke  passes  to  the  account  of 
Peter's  confession  and  the  transfiguration.  We 
have  seen  that  in  this  he  agrees  with  the  Johan- 
nine  account.  But  while  the  analysis  of  John 
separates  the  text  at  that  point,  there  is  none 
the  less  a  certain  supposition  that  there  was  a 
tradition  to  this  effect  or  else  they  would  not 
have  been  so  united.  So  far  as  it  has  any  bearing 
upon  the  matter  this  fact  favors  the  theory  of 
interpolation.  The  argument  is  further  strength- 
ened by  the  reading  of  the  context: 

"And  they  that  did  eat  were  five  thousand  men. 
And  Jesus  went  out  and  His  disciples  into  the  towns 
of  Ceesarea  Philippi;  and  by  the  way  He  asked  His 
disciples,  saying  unto  them,  'Whom  do  men  say  that 
I  am.?'  " 

In  this  fashion,  it  is  worthy  of  note,  some 
of  the  most  serious  of  chronological  difficulties 
disappear.     The  itinerary   acquires   an  intelli- 

135 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

gibility  that  is  remarkable.  We  see  the  Master 
preparing  for  His  final  attempt  upon  Jerusalem. 
Also  we  find  it  possible  to  reconcile  the  dual 
account  of  the  feeding  the  multitudes.  It 
thus  appears  that  instead  of  having  the  same 
miracle  twice  demonstrated,  we  are  dealing 
with  two  documents  in  which  the  same  event 
is  twice  narrated.  In  point  of  fact  the  sequence 
of  events  after  the  two  accounts  is  not  at  all 
dissimilar;  in  both  the  destination  is  Bethsaida, 
which  is  in  the  direction  of  the  scene  of  the 
transfiguration. 

The  other  divergences  both  in  Matthew 
and  Luke  are  of  such  a  nature  that  they  come 
easily  under  the  head  of  editorial  arrangement, 
or  else  the  errors  of  the  copyists;  they  deal 
with  matters  quite  secondary.  Hence,  so  far 
as  the  ground  work  in  its  relation  to  Mark  is 
concerned,  the  theory  of  the  fusion  of  documents 
seems  quite  to  meet  all  the  facts  in  the  case. 
It  is  not  without  significance  that  "the  ground 
work"  when  thus  discriminated  turns  out  to 
be  of  just  that  length  which  corresponds  exactly 
to  the  convenience  of  bookmaking  in  that  age. 
The  document  has  a  total  of  about  ten  thousand 
words,  or  enough  to  fill  the  seventy -eight  sheets 
of  papyrus  which  went  to  the  making  of  a  roll. 
This  would  be  almost  a  decisive  reason  in  the 
writing  of  a  primitive  book.  Frequently  these 
conveniences  determine  form  and  content  even 

136 


PROLEGOMENA 

in  our  time;  much  more  then  in  an  age  when 
flexibihty  in  such  matters  was  less  easily  realized. 

When  now  we  turn  to  examine  the  relation 
of  this  hypothetical  ground  work  to  the  com- 
pleted Matthew,  we  have  a  further  problem 
to  consider.  The  extraneous  matter  will  in 
reality  possess  the  larger  interest.  This  ex- 
traneous matter  confronts  us  with  the  opening 
words.  It  is  not  until  the  third  chapter  has 
been  reached  that  we  come  upon  the  familiar 
comparison  with  Mark.  It  is  enough  for  the 
present  to  note  the  general  character  of  this  in- 
troductory material.  It  consists  of  several 
general  traditions,  wrought  into  a  continuous 
account  of  the  birth  and  youth  of  Jesus.  In 
addition  to  this  is  a  genealogical  table  such  as 
almost  any  Jew  who  had  pride  in  his  descent 
might  be  supposed  to  have.  The  account  of 
John  the  Baptist  is  somewhat  amplified  and 
various  Logia  are  added.  The  baptism  is  suc- 
ceeded by  an  amplification  of  the  temptation, 
which  is  barely  noted  in  Mark.  This  account 
has  a  definite  literary  form,  which  gives  it  a 
somewhat  later  age. 

The  reference  to  the  Galilean  journey  is 
amplified  by  quotations  from  Old  Testament 
prophecy,  and  thus  discloses  a  marked  char- 
acteristic of  the  final  editor  of  this  Gospel. 
So  soon  as  the  general  statement  is  made,  we 
come  across  an  example  of  the  teaching  ministry 

137 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

of  Jesus  in  the  form  of  a  collection  of  Logia 
commonly  known  as  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 
This  is  extraneous  matter,  and  carries  us  to  the 
opening  of  the  eighth  chapter  before  the  nar- 
rative is  resumed.  We  have  then  from  "The 
Ground  Work"  the  account  of  the  heahng  of  the 
leper,  followed  by  an  extraneous  reminiscence 
of  the  healing  of  the  servant  of  the  Centurion, 
which  has  been  identified  with  the  Johannine 
account  of  healing  the  child  of  the  royal  cour- 
tier. The  account  is  in  a  somewhat  vivid 
style,  and  suggests  the  later  development. 
After  this  comes  another  passage  from  "the 
Ground  Work,"  followed  by  an  insertion  of  a 
logion  spoken  to  would-be  disciples.  At  this 
point  we  touch  the  Ground  Work  again  in  the 
stilling  of  the  storm  and  the  healing  of  the 
demoniac,  followed  by  the  healing  of  Jairus' 
daughter.  Between  these  passages  certain  of 
the  incidents  from  the  Capernaum  document 
are  inserted;  there  is  also  an  incident  of  the 
healing  of  two  blind  men;  then  we  come  to 
the  choosing  of  The  Twelve  and  the  sending 
them  forth.  This  is  made  the  occasion  for  the 
introduction  of  extensive  Logia  relating  to 
discipleship,  and  following  it  come  other  sayings 
respecting  John  the  Baptist.  From  the  Caper- 
naum document  comes  the  incident  of  the 
cornfields  and  the  healing  of  the  man  with  the 
withered    hand,    and    then    we   pass    again    to 

138 


PROLEGOMENA 

other  Logia;  after  which  we  again  follow  the 
Capernaum  document  through  the  visit  from 
His  relatives,  and  the  parables,  and  finally  His 
visit  to  Nazareth.  At  this  point  we  again  touch 
the  Ground  Work  in  the  account  of  the  death 
of  John  the  Baptist  and  the  miracle  of  the 
loaves  and  fishes.  Then  we  have  the  group 
of  memorabilia  which  were  not  before  Luke. 
These  include  the  walking  on  the  sea,  the  Sido- 
nian  woman,  the  second  account  of  the  miracu- 
lous feeding  of  thousands,  and  various  con- 
troversial Logia.  Thereafter,  except  for  several 
minor  differences,  there  is  good  fidelity  to  "the 
Ground  Work."  But  there  is  also  a  fine  selec- 
tion of  parables  and  significant  Logia  presented 
from  time  to  time.  But  so  far  as  the  narrative 
is  concerned  the  relationship  is  close. 

When  now  these  differences  are  summed  up, 
it  is  found  that  they  consist,  first  of  all,  in  the 
introduction  of  many  Logia  and  parables  not 
included  in  the  more  primitive  Gospel;  secondly, 
there  is  a  marked  difference  in  the  use  of  the 
Capernaum  document.  In  addition  to  this 
there  are  several  instances  of  the  introduction 
of  isolated  incidents  which  must  have  had  their 
separate  existence.  Of  these  several  elements, 
the  Capernaum  document  has  already  been 
discriminated.  The  parables  and  Logia  are  in  a 
classification  by  themselves  which  will  presently 
receive  a  detailed  analysis.     This   leaves   only 

139 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

the  isolated  memorabilia  for  special  consider- 
ation. 

The  first  of  these  is  the  healing  of  the 
centurion's  servant.  It  is  set  between  the 
passage  from  the  Ground  Work  relating  the 
healing  of  the  leper  and  that  one  of  the  Caper- 
naum document  which  tells  of  the  healing  of 
Peter's  mother-in-law.  This  fact  and  the  further 
fact  that  it  serves  to  introduce  the  Capernaum 
incidents,  and  indeed  specifically  locates  its 
own  miracle  as  being  in  Capernaum,  may  indi- 
cate that  it  is  really  a  part  of  that  document, 
which  by  some  accident  was  not  used  in  the 
compilation  of  Mark.  This  supposition  so 
entirely  relieves  us  of  the  necessity  of  assuming 
a  further  document  that  it  has  an  immediate 
commendation.  The  other  instances  are  so 
closely  associated  with  Logia  that  they  may 
easily  be  regarded  as  explanatory  comment  to 
enable  the  better  introduction  of  such  passages. 
Of  such  a  nature  is  the  saying  to  the  proposed 
disciples,  and  the  one  which  precedes  the  send- 
ing out  of  His  disciples. 

The  Gospel  of  Luke  provides  us  with  further 
complications  to  unravel,  for  while  there  is 
fidelity  to  Mark  in  the  sequence  of  incidents 
there  is  a  freedom  in  minor  matters,  which 
shows  a  lively  sense  of  editorial  privilege.  There 
is  also  the  introduction  of  a  considerable  quan- 
tity of  other  material,  which  is  treated  with  a 

140 


PROLEGOMENA 

great  liberty.  These  variations  require  ex- 
planation, and  this  is  to  be  found  either  in  the 
nature  of  the  documents  from  which  the  author 
worked  or  in  his  own  disposition  to  depart  from 
his  text  whenever  his  personal  recollection,  his 
memory,  or  his  editorial  bias  seemed  to  justify 
him  in  so  doing.  The  changes  in  question  are 
too  extensive  to  admit  of  explanation  in  any 
large  degree  as  due  to  errors  of  transcription 
or  variant  readings.  Under  these  circumstances 
it  is  well  to  have  the  material  properly  cata- 
logued. 

1.  The  infancy  Gospel,  occupying  the  first  two 
chapters,  and  agreeing  in  part  with  the  account  in 
Matthew,  but  introducing  new  and  highly-developed 
factors  from  other  sources. 

2.  Examples  of  the  sayings  of  John  the  Baptist; 
a  genealogical  list,  and  the  account  of  the  temptation; 
each  of  these  being  differentiated  from  the  records  in 
Matthew. 

8.  An  incident  of  the  visit  to  Nazareth,  which  is 
presented  with  vividness  and  detail. 

4.  The  Capernaum  manuscript  is  drawn  upon, 
and  in  its  distribution  the  general  arrangement  in  Mark 
is  followed. 

5.  An  elaborated  account  of  the  calling  of  the 
disciples  which  has  strong  aflEinities  with  the  account  in 
the  last  chapter  of  John. 

6.  The  Capernaum  document  is  again  followed; 
after  which  follow  various  Logia  which  have  a  general 
resemblance  to  some  reported  in  Matthew. 

7.  Several  incidents  are  presented:  the  centurion's 

141 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

servant,  the  widow's  son,  the  message  from  John  the 
Baptist,  Logia  concerning  John,  other  Logia.  The 
resemblance  of  these  to  the  Matthew  account  is  clear 
but  not  definite. 

8.  The  parable  told  in  the  Pharisee's  house,  an 
account  of  the  companions  of  Jesus,  and  a  recurrence  to 
the  Capernaum  series.  At  this  point  the  Ground  Work 
is  again  followed. 

9.  An  account  of  the  independent  disciple  (after 
Mark),  a  Logion  to  would-be  disciples  (after  Matthew). 

10.  The  commissioning  of  seventy  heralds,  with 
instructions  as  to  methods,  following  the  Matthew 
record. 

11.  Parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan,  with  intro- 
duction. Incident  of  Mary  and  Martha;  parable  of 
prayer. 

12.  Controversy  with  the  Pharisees;  various  Logia 
appropriate  thereto. 

13.  Request  to  arbitrate,  with  related  Logia.  Sev- 
eral Logia  spoken  especially  to  the  disciples. 

14.  Teaching  concerning  sudden  death;  parable  of 
unfruitful  tree;  healing  of  the  infirm  woman. 

15.  General  teaching  with  examples;  a  warning 
against  Herod.  Parables  of  the  invited  guests,  of  the 
great  feast,  of  the  cost  of  discipleship,  of  the  prodigal 
son,  of  the  wasteful  steward,  of  Dives  and  Lazarus; 
other  Logia. 

16.  The  healing  of  the  ten  lepers;  of  the  end  of 
things;  of  persistence  in  prayer,  of  the  Pharisee  and  the 
publican.  At  this  point  the  narrative  is  resumed  from 
the  Ground  Work. 

17.  The  incident  of  Zaccheus  and  the  parable  of 
the  ten  pounds.  Thereafter  the  sequence  agrees  quite 
closely  with  Mark,  until  the  account  of  the  crucifixion 
has  been  given. 

142 


PROLEGOMENA 

18.  The  appearance  of  the  risen  Lord  to  the  dis- 
ciples on  the  way  to  Emmaus;  His  appearance  to  the 
disciples  in  a  group. 

This  catalogue  at  once  discloses  several 
interesting  facts.  The  proportion  of  extraneous 
matter  is  very  large — so  great  in  fact  that  the 
Ground  Work  seems  to  be  rather  the  thread 
upon  which  the  beads  are  strung  than  any 
substantial  part  of  the  Gospel.  The  beads,  to 
carry  out  the  figure,  are  of  three  general  kinds. 
First,  Logia,  which  in  general  have  strong 
affinity  with  the  Logia  in  Matthew,  though 
there  are  some  additions  and  the  whole  is  treated 
in  a  highly  independent  manner;  second,  para- 
bles, many  of  which  are  peculiar  to  this  Gospel; 
third,  several  memorabilia  of  an  interesting 
character,  which  are  nowhere  else  recorded.  It 
is  this  last  class  which  has  an  immediate  interest. 

But  before  we  can  well  proceed  to  their  anal- 
ysis we  must  glance  briefly  at  those  which  Luke 
presents  in  common  with  Matthew.  These 
may  be  listed  as  follows: 

The  infancy  records,  including  the  first  appearance 
in  the  Temple. 

The  elaborated  account  of  the  temptation. 
The  healing  of  the  centurion's  servant. 
The  message  from  and  to  John  the  Baptist. 
Logia  to  would-be  disciples. 

Of   these   the   infancy   records   raise   a   special 
group  of  questions  and  do  not,  in  fact,  belong 

143 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

to  the  Gospel  form  under  consideration.  They 
stand  for  a  tradition  which  rapidly  assumed  a 
highly-developed  type.  In  part  at  least  their 
chief  interest  is  related  to  another  phase  of  the 
Gospel  development.  The  elaborated  account 
of  the  Temptation  possesses  literary  qualities 
which  assign  it  to  the  basic  document;  in  this 
it  agrees  with  the  incident  of  the  Centurion's 
Servant.*  Their  sequence  is  the  same  in  both 
Matthew  and  Luke.  In  such  a  case  the  problem 
is  to  account  for  their  absence  from  Mark, 
rather  than  their  presence  in  the  other  Gospels. 
Difficulties  in  transmission  suflficiently  explain 
this.  The  remaining  items  are  in  reality  little 
more  than  historical  introductions  to  brief  Logia. 
Thus  this  group  of  Matthew-Luke  incidents 
ceases  to  have  any  special  importance. 

What,  then,  is  the  character  of  those  incidents 
which  Luke  alone  presents;  what  are  their 
affinities ;  and  what  their  probable  origin?  These 
are  real  and  vital  problems.  The  answer  can 
be  reached  only  through  the  consideration  of 
each  item  in  the  series.  The  first  of  these 
introduces  the  Galilean  ministry — it  is  the  visit 
to  Nazareth.  The  incident  itself  shows  that 
historically  it  is  misplaced,  for  it  contains  a 
reference  to  a  successful  ministry  in  Capernaum, 
when  as  yet  there  has  been  no  record  of  His 
sojourn    there.      All   the   data   concerning   the 

*Note  10. 

144 


PROLEGOMENA 

Capernaum  activities  are  given  later;  hence 
we  may  conclude  that  this  incident  is  inserted 
at  this  place  by  reason  of  editorial  bias  rather 
than  due  to  initial  composition.  It  is  quite 
clear  then  that  the  passage  had  its  separate 
existence,  and  circulated  either  alone  or  in 
some  group  yet  to  be  determined.  The  detail 
of  the  account  is  quite  definite — the  scene  is 
brought  before  us  in  a  vivid  way — there  is  no 
difficulty  in  reproducing  in  the  imagination. 
There  is  a  resort  to  Logia  to  illustrate  the  Mas- 
ter's teaching;  the  argument  is  sketched  rather 
than  developed  word  for  word — there  seems 
a  reliance  upon  memory  rather  than  on  a  docu- 
ment presenting  the  sayings  with  verbal  fidelity. 
The  conversation  which  is  suggested  does  not 
•come  from  specific  persons,  but  sums  up  the 
mental  attitude  of  the  crowd  in  a  fashion  quite 
akin  to  the  narrative  portions  of  the  Gospel 
of  John.  The  passage  is  set  between  a  con- 
nective fragment  and  a  portion  from  the  Caper- 
naum document.  This  context  reads  con- 
secutively when  the  passage  is  omitted;  but  the 
whole  fabric  is  so  loosely  wrought  that  this 
is  not  decisive. 

The  second  incident  is  the  calling  of  the 
disciples.  It  ventures  upon  remarkable  detail 
and  fills  out  the  picture  which  is  only  suggested 
in  Mark  and  Matthew.  The  incident  is  sub- 
stituted for  that  event.  The  setting,  how- 
10  145 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

ever,  is  quite  contrary  to  the  presumptions 
to  which  the  other  accounts  give  rise.  Here 
the  Master  is  in  the  full  tide  of  success,  and 
has  for  convenience  made  use  of  a  boat  from 
which  to  speak  to  the  multitudes;  after  this 
He  suggests  that  the  owner  launch  out  and  let 
down  his  net.  The  story  develops  by  the  con- 
versational method,  quite  as  is  the  case  in  the 
Johannine  memorabilia.  The  literary  method 
indeed  is  precisely  the  same,  and  the  account 
need  only  be  in  the  Book  of  John  to  be  accepted 
as  the  product  of  the  same  mind.  This  is  the 
more  remarkable  from  the  fact  that  it  has  such 
strong  aflGinities  with  an  account  which  is  made 
basal  to  a  resurrection  scene.  This  resemblance 
has  already  been  suggested.  Since  then  the 
incident  is  historically  misplaced,  the  indications 
of  the  context  are  all  the  more  important.  These 
quite  indicate  that  it  is  an  interpolation.  By 
the  preceding  passage  the  Master  is  on  an 
inland  tour;  the  passage  which  immediately 
follows  gives  an  incident  of  this  tour.  The 
context  when  united  reads  as  follows: 

"...  But  He  said  unto  them,  'I  must  preach 
the  good  tidings  of  the  Kingdom  to  other  cities  also; 
for  therefore  was  I  sent.'  And  He  was  preaching  in 
the  synagogues  of  Galilee;  and  it  came  to  pass,  while 
He  was  in  one  of  the  cities,  behold  a  man  full  of  lep- 
rosy    .     .     ." 

146 


PROLEGOMENA 

To  insert  in  the  midst  of  such  statements  the 
account  of  the  seaside  preaching  and  the  calHng 
of  the  disciples  is  doubtless  to  neglect  all 
natural  sequences. 

The  third  instance  is  the  healing  of  the 
widow's  son.  The  scene  is  placed  at  Nain, 
but  the  events  immediately  preceding  are  at 
Capernaum  as  well  as  those  which  follow.  This 
of  course  is  only  partially  significant,  for  there 
is  here  a  complex  of  the  Capernaum  document 
and  the  Logia  notation.  It  so  chances,  however, 
that  the  Logion  sent  as  a  message  to  the  im- 
prisoned John  the  Baptist  has  the  clause, 
"The  dead  are  raised  up."  This  would  afford 
an  abundant  topical  reason  for  the  interpolation 
of  the  incident.  Thus  in  the  absence  of  narra- 
tive reasons  for  its  presence,  and  with  an 
excellent  interpolative  reason  at  hand,  we  may 
well  incline  to  regard  the  passage  as  an  inter- 
polation. The  incident  is  in  a  lively  style,  and 
while  much  briefer  than  many  of  such  passages, 
it  none  the  less  manages  to  convey  the  sense  of 
personality.  One  strange  feature  is  the  com- 
ment, that  the  report  went  through  the  region 
of  Judaea.  This  is  a  geographical  confusion 
which  has  in  it  a  possible  clue  to  the  origin 
of  the  incident. 

The  incident  of  the  supper  in  the  house  of 
the  Pharisee  has  a  great  resemblance  to  the 

147 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

scene  recorded  in  John  and  the  other  Gospels 
concerning  the  anointing  of  Jesus  by  Mary. 
There  are  of  course  equally  marked  differences. 
From  these  facts  it  would  appear  that  we  are 
dealing  with  that  fusion  of  tradition  which  arises 
at  a  later  date  when  the  first  clear  recollec- 
tions have  been  dimmed.  The  account  of  the 
anointing  was  in  fact  unusually  brief;  this  is 
particularly  rich  in  its  development.  It  is  quite 
possible  that  the  literary  instinct  predominated 
over  the  historical;  and  that  regarding  his  data 
as  separably  true  it  did  not  appear  to  the  writer 
to  be  any  liberty  with  the  facts  to  unite  them 
in  an  effective  whole.  It  seems  highly  im- 
probable that  two  events  of  such  similar  char- 
acter should  have  taken  place.  Granting  the 
predominance  of  the  literary  impulse,  we  have 
an  example  of  the  late  developments  of  tradi- 
tion. The  method  is  conversational,  with  the 
use  of  Logia  for  purposes  of  illustration.  It  is 
an  incident  in  precisely  the  same  style  of  treat- 
ment as  is  evidenced  in  the  Johannine  memora- 
bilia. It  must  be  regarded  as  in  some  way  related 
thereto.  The  passage  is  placed  in  a  context 
where  its  presence  or  omission  is  immaterial 
to  the  sequences. 

The  brief  but  highly  effective  passage  con- 
cerning the  two  sisters  is  next  on  the  list.  It 
is  a  narrative  incident  placed  between  para- 
bles, and  therefore  out  of  logical  place.     The 

148 


PROLEGOMENA 

story  is  developed  in  the  conversational  method, 
and  so  effectively  is  the  personality  of  the  three 
persons  emphasized  that  the  two  sisters  have 
stood  since  as  the  types  of  two  moods.  This 
and  the  fact  that  these  persons  are  made 
familiar  to  us  through  the  Johannine  memora- 
bilia suggests  again  the  relationship  between 
the  two  series. 

In  the  same  textual  conditions,  that  is  in 
the  midst  of  a  series  of  parables,  we  find  another 
incident,  which  has  no  affinity  with  either  of 
the  passages  which  flank  it.  It  seems  to  have 
come  to  its  present  place  merely  by  reason  of 
some  convenience  of  transcription.  We  recog- 
nize also  the  same  literary  characteristic,  and 
have  no  diflSculty  in  giving  it  a  place  in  associ- 
ation with  other  incidents  of  this  group  which 
we  are  analyzing.  Whatever  holds  for  the 
group  will  hold  for  this  instance.  The  whole 
story  of  the  heafing  of  the  infirm  woman  has 
verity  stamped  upon  it;  but  the  method  is  of 
the  later  type. 

Practically  the  same  analysis  holds  for  the 
story  of  the  heafing  of  the  ten  lepers.  It  is 
significant  only  to  remark  that  the  emphasis 
of  the  story  is  upon  the  gratitude  of  the  Samari- 
tan. So  also  the  story  of  Zaccheus  shows  these 
marked  literary  characteristics,  and  the  devel- 
opment of  personality  is  most  admirable.  The 
incident  is  set  in  a  text  following  a  portion  of 

149 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

the  ground  work  with  which  it  has  local  con- 
nection, and  a  parable  which  is  presented  in 
anticipation  of  His  approach  to  Jerusalem. 
When  both  the  incident  and  the  parable  are 
omitted  the  ground  work  proceeds  with  proper 
continuity. 

But  the  crowning  incident  in  Luke  is  the 
resurrection  story  of  the  disciples  on  their  way 
to  Emmaus.  It  is  presented  in  the  most  ef- 
fective literary  style  and  is  perfectly  in  the  vein 
of  the  longer  narratives  of  the  Johannine  mem- 
orabilia. We  have  the  conversational  method 
at  its  best;  we  have  the  change  of  scene;  and 
the  steady  moving  to  a  climax.  This  passage 
stands  at  the  close  of  the  Gospel,  so  that  ques- 
tions of  context  scarcely  have  a  bearing  upon  it. 
There  is  indeed  a  very  adequate  fusion  of  the 
story  itself  with  a  general  summary  of  the 
resurrection  scenes.  But  this  is  clearly  the 
effect  of  editorial  fusion.  The  incident  is  for  all 
practical  purposes  a  unit  in  itself. 

Thus  when  the  very  remarkable  group  of 
memorabilia  which  is  peculiar  to  Luke  is 
examined,  several  things  stand  out  on  the  face 
of  the  returns.  They  have  among  themselves 
a  considerable  unity  of  treatment  so  much  so, 
that  they  must  be  regarded  as  coming  from  the 
same  hand.  In  point  of  fact  then  we  have  a 
further  collection  of  memorabilia,  quite  dis- 
tinguishable   from    the    other    elements    which 

150 


PROLEGOMENA 

enter  into  the  Gospel,  and  which  seems,  in  fact, 
to  have  been  distributed  after  the  Gospel  had 
been  composed.  Whether  this  was  done  before 
the  formal  publishing  of  the  book  is  quite  an- 
other question,  for  it  may  well  have  been  merely 
the  method  pursued  by  Luke  in  developing  his 
story. 

But  the  most  significant  fact  of  all  is  the 
strong  kinship  between  this  group  and  the 
Johanhine  incidents.  The  relationship  is  so 
marked  that  it  suggests  deliberate  imitation  by 
the  one  writer  or  the  other,  or  that  both  groups 
of  memorabilia  have  proceeded  from  the  same 
writer.  But  questions  of  authorship  must  await 
a  more  complete  analysis  of  the  Gospel  material. 
Thus  far  we  have  but  traced  the  development 
of  incidental  tradition  into  its  several  written 
forms,  including  a  late  and  highly-developed 
literary  mastership.  We  are  in  a  position  to 
understand  that  it  was  inevitable  that  in  the 
case  of  the  Master  as  well  as  of  other  great 
teachers  the  things  which  He  said  and  did 
should  get  themselves  told.  At  first  these 
reminiscences  would  be  oral;  then  as  the  audi- 
tors increased  in  number  and  the  circle  widened 
beyond  the  power  of  apostolic  contact,  it  was 
inevitable  that  they  should  come  to  be  written 
down;  and  these  writings  would  presently  be 
collected  in  little  groups,  which  would  become 
the   basis   of  further  telling,   so  that   upon   a 

151 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

simple  story  would  be  developed  a  literary  form. 
On  the  other  hand  it  was  likewise  inevitable  that 
the  several  groups  would  themselves  be  com- 
pacted with  other  narratives  to  the  end  that  all 
might  survive.  It  was  literally  true  as  Luke 
has  stated  in  his  introduction  to  his  Gospel, 
"That  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  draw  up  a 
narrative  concerning  those  matters  which  are 
most  assuredly  believed  among  us,  even  as 
they  delivered  them  unto  us  who  from  the 
beginning  were  eye-witnesses  and  ministers  of 
the  Word."  There  could  not  be  a  better  state- 
ment of  the  analysis  which  has  now  been  made. 
It  is  a  summary  of  that  reduction  to  writing 
of  the  oral  traditions,  some  of  whose  results 
have  thus  been  traced. 


152 


IV 

Character  and'  Scope  of  Hebrew  Poetry 

In  the  analysis  of  the  Gospels,  as  thus  far  made, 
we  have  had  to  refer  repeatedly  to  the  presence 
of  "sayings"  or  "Logia."  These  have  at 
times  appeared  in  the  form  of  possible  inter- 
polations, and  at  other  times  in  the  warp  and 
woof  of  narrative  or  memorabilia.  This  is  true 
of  each  of  the  Gospels,  less  so  of  Mark,  but 
equally  of  each  of  the  other  three.  This  is  a 
suggestion  that  they  are  the  product  of  prac- 
tically the  same  conditions.  These  "sayings" 
bulk  so  largely  that  it  is  important  to  reach 
some  adequate  conclusion  as  to  their  nature. 
This  importance  is  enhanced  by  the  fact  that 
whereas  in  narrative  and  memorabilia  we  are 
dealing  with  traditions  concerning  the  Master, 
in  these  "sayings"  we  have  His  reputed  teach- 
ing. Since  then  His  teaching  is  the  primary 
goal  of  the  investigation,  we  reach  now  a 
problem  that  can  not  be  over-emphasized. 

We  are  to  understand  that  the  Master  did 
not  teach  in  the  form  of  extended  theses,  with 
elaborate  discussion.  Among  the  Greek  masters 
this  was  not  uncommon;  but  the  Jewish  rabbis, 

153 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

for  many  good  reasons,  were  inclined  to  another 
form  of  presentation.  This  in  part  is  traceable 
to  tradition.  When  the  prophets  were  in  vogue 
their  appeal  was  primarily  oral,  hence  they 
expressed  themselves  in  brief  but  effective  ut- 
terances which  in  some  cases  were  preserved  in 
writing,  but  more  commonly  were  not.  Indeed, 
the  greatest  of  the  prophets  has  left  nothing 
but  traditions  and  folk  stories.  What  has  sur- 
vived of  prophetic  utterance  is  but  a  mere 
fragment  of  the  whole — their  message  was  to 
their  own  age  rather  than  to  the  generations 
which  should  follow.  So  it  is  not  surprising 
that  they  made  little  effort  to  be  remembered. 
With  the  writer  of  the  second  part  of  Isaiah, 
this  was  not  the  case;  he  was  distinctly  ap- 
pealing to  posterity,  hence  took  good  care 
that  his  message  should  be  transmitted  in  its 
entirety. 

Ordinarily,  however,  the  appeal  was  made 
to  the  memory;  the  conditions  of  memory 
therefore  determined  in  a  large  degree  the 
characteristics  of  Hebrew  didacticism.  The 
literature  of  the  Hebrews,  except  such  of  it  as 
was  primarily  and  immediately  sacred,  such 
as  the  Books  of  the  Law  and  the  chronicles  of 
the  people,  was  a  literature  with  strong  mne- 
monic qualities.  These  developed  along  unique 
lines.  In  common  with  the  other  Semitic 
peoples,  they  made  great  use  of  a  rhythm  of 

154 


PROLEGOMENA 

thought,  which  in  the  end  came  to  have  a  charm 
and  a  compelling  power  so  great  as  to  amount 
to  a  universal  appeal.  Hence  their  master- 
pieces have  over-reached  the  boundaries  of  the 
race  and  have  become  world  literature.  It  is 
not  simply  the  content  of  their  Scriptures  which 
has  done  this;  but  the  form  has  had  its  victories 
as  well.  Even  before  the  secret  of  its  construc- 
tion had  been  noted  there  was  a  general  response 
to  its  power.  One  immensely  helpful  element 
in  this  influence  was  the  fact  that  its  beauty 
was  not  lost  in  translation.  Wherever  the 
felicity  of  expression  depends  upon  phonetic 
elements,  genius  is  dependent  upon  other  genius 
for  interpretation  to  alien  peoples;  these  con- 
ditions are  so  seldom  met  that  there  are  but 
few  masters  of  literature  adequately  known  to 
other  peoples.  Scholars  and  students  of  liter- 
ature may  have  a  familiarity  with  them,  but 
to  the  mass  of  the  people  their  influence  is  but 
a  reputation.  But  with  much  of  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures  it  is  quite  otherwise.  They  are  not 
only  known  to  the  world,  but  have  had  a 
tremendous  influence  upon  the  linguistic  de- 
velopment of  more  than  one  race.  In  particular 
the  Teutonic  races  can  never  repay  their  literary 
indebtedness.  The  very  forms  of  Hebrew  ex- 
pression have  been  imitated  by  the  great  mas- 
ters of  English  speech;  shall  one  do  more  than 
to    quote    such    contrary    minds,    as    Bacon, 

155 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Macaulay,  and  Lincoln?  These  each  would 
have  made  confession  to  this  power. 

But  if  the  question  be  pressed  more  par- 
ticularly as  to  what  portions  of  these  writings 
have  been  most  influential,  the  answer  is 
readily  forthcoming.  The  Psalms,  the  Prophets, 
the  Proverbs,  and  the  folk-story  narratives  have 
had  incomparably  the  larger  share  of  this 
potency,  and  this  in  the  order  named.  Of  the 
Prophets  again  it  has  been  those  who  have 
most  fully  evidenced  the  particular  lilt  of 
thought-rhythm.  Hence  the  literary  charac- 
teristic which  has  most  impressed  the  race  has 
been  this  parallelism  of  thought  as  particularly 
manifested  in  the  group  of  writings  referred  to. 
In  other  words  the  poetical  element  has  been 
most  effective. 

If,  then,  this  has  influenced  alien  peoples, 
it  can  be  readily  understood  that  the  succeeding 
generations  among  the  Hebrews  must  have 
been  especially  impressed  by  it.  So  much  so 
in  fact  that  many  masters  would  seek  to  use 
it  for  the  transmission  of  their  teaching.  So  it 
became  a  peculiar  vehicle  for  the  expression  of 
wisdom  literature,  which  is  the  form  assumed 
by  Hebrew  philosophy. 

It  is  important  then  to  secure  some  adequate 
conception  of  these  forms.  For  this  purpose 
a  few  selections  covering  a  range  of  centuries 

156 


PROLEGOMENA 

and  illustrating  differing  types  of  expression  and 
thought  will  be  useful.  Such  are  taken  at  ran- 
dom from  the  literature  in  question.  Here  is 
one  from  the  Psalms: 

Lord,  Thou  hast  been  our  dwelling  place 

In  all  generations; 

Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth. 
Or  ever  Thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the 
world. 

Even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  Thou  art  God. 

Thou  turnest  man  to  destruction. 
And  sayest,  "Return,  ye  children  of  men." 
For  a  thousand  years  in  Thy  sight 
Are  but  as  yesterday,  when  it  is  past, 
And  as  a  watch  in  the  night. 

Thou  earnest  them  away  as  with  a  flood; 

They  are  as  asleep; 

They  are  like  grass  which  groweth  up. 

In  the  evening  it  is  cut  down  and  withereth; 

In  the  morning  it  flourisheth  and  groweth  up. 

The  general  structure  of  such  a  passage  is  quite 
obvious.  It  depends  for  its  beauty  upon  the 
matching  of  line  with  line;  but  scarcely  less  upon 
the  balance  of  parts  which  make  the  completed 
stanza,  in  which  the  initial  two  lines  are  bal- 
anced against  the  final  three. 

From  Isaiah  we  take  this  passage,   which 
has  the  genuine  lyrical  lilt  and  beauty: 

157 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

In  that  day  thou  shalt  say, 

"I  will  give  thanks  unto  Thee,  O  Jehovah; 

For  though  Thou  wast  angry  with  me, 

Thine  anger  is  turned  away 

And  Thou  comfortest  me.  " 

Behold,  God  is  my  salvation; 
I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid; 

For  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  song. 

And  He  is  become  my  salvation." 

Therefore  with  joy  shall  you  draw  water  out  of 
the  wells  of  salvation. 

And  in  that  day  shall  you  say, 
"Give  thanks  unto  Jehovah, 

Call  upon  His  name; 

Declare  His  doings  among  the  people; 

Make  mention  that  His  name  is  exalted." 

Sing  unto  Jehovah, 

For  He  has  done  excellent  things; 
Let  this  be  known  in  all  the  earth; 
Cry  aloud  and  shout,  thou  inhabitant  of  Zion, 
For  great  is  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in  the  midst 
of  thee. 

Here  again  we  find  definite  stanza  structure 
which  greatly  enhances  the  effect  of  the  passage. 
Even  by  the  Revisers  it  has  been  presented  as 
prose;  but  the  poetic  effect  is  so  manifest  that 
it  deserves  the  widest  recognition.  Similarly 
with  a  passage  at  random  from  Jeremiah: 

I  have  made  thee  a  trier  among  My  people; 
And  thou  mayest  know  and  try  their  ways. 
158 


PROLEGOMENA 

They  are  all  grievous  revolters, 
Going  about  with  slanders; 
They  are  brass  and  iron, 
They  all  of  them  deal  corruptly. 

The  bellows  blow  fiercely; 

The  lead  is  consumed  of  the  fire; 

In  vain  do  they  go  on  refining, 

For  the  wicked  are  not  plucked  away. 
Refuse  silver  shall  men  call  them; 
Because  Jehovah  has  rejected  them. 

The  form  in  this  is  quite  different,  and  yet  the 
principle  of  its  structure  is  suflBciently  in  evi- 
dence. The  rhythmic  element  admits  of  wide 
range  of  application,  and  thus  escapes  the 
monotony  which  would  be  fatal  to  its  influence. 
Even  where  the  form  is  not  wholly  seen  there 
is  apparent  an  imitative  effect;  so  that  the 
literature  ranges  from  the  most  lyrical  of 
utterances  to  the  sublimity  of  great  prose,  which 
may  be  styled  the  blank  verse  of  this  form  of 
utterance. 

But  it  had  an  adaptation  even  to  common- 
place themes,  and  this  became  apparent  in  the 
ethical  philosophers  whose  chief  concern  was 
with  the  details  of  conduct.  From  Proverbs 
we  may  quote  one  or  two  passages: 

There  are  four  things  which  are  little  upon 

the  earth. 
Yet  they  are  exceeding  wise. 
159 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

The  ants  are  a  people  not  strong. 

Yet  they  provide  their  food  in  the  summer; 

The  conies  are  but  a  feeble  folk, 

Yet  they  make  their  houses  in  the  rocks; 

The  locusts  have  no  king. 

Yet  go  they  forth  all  of  them  by  bands; 

The  lizard  thou  canst  seize  with  thy  hands, 

Yet  is  she  in  kings'  palaces. 

So  in  a  different  strain  we  read: 

Be  not  thou  envious  against  evil  men. 
Neither  desire  to  be  with  them; 

For  their  heart  studieth  oppression. 
And  their  lips  talk  mischief. 

It  is  apparent  then  that  this  quality  of  ex- 
pression was  widely  used  and  eminently  adapted 
to  the  conditions  of  the  time;  it  attained  great 
popularity  and  became  the  distinctive  quality 
of  men  of  letters.  We  trace  its  growing  power 
down  the  centuries.  The  later  literature  as 
well  as  the  canonical  abounds  in  it.  One 
example  will  suffice  in  this  connection.  It  is 
a  passage  from  Ecclesiasticus : 

Weep  for  the  dead,  for  light  has  failed  him; 
And  weep  for  the  fool,  for  understanding  has  failed 
him; 
Weep  more  sweetly  for  the  dead,  for  he  has  found  rest; 
But  the  life  of  the  fool  is  worse  than  death. 

Seven  days  are  the  days  of  mourning  for  the  dead; 
But  for  the  fool  and  ungodly  man,  all  the  days  of 
his  life. 

160 


PROLEGOMENA 

Here  again  we  have  a  variety  of  form  and  quite 
a  difference  in  the  content  of  the  passage; 
but  the  adequacy  of  the  form  is  singularly  in 
evidence. 

When  we  come  to  examine  the  technique 
of  Hebrew  poetry  we  find  ourselves  confronted 
by  elements  to  which  the  Western  mind  is  a 
stranger.  Our  entire  poetry  has  been  so  much 
based  upon  the  phonetic  elements  that  it  is 
entirely  natural  to  regard  with  suspicion  a 
prosody  which  relegates  these  to  a  minor  place. 
The  Hebrews  doubtless  laid  some  stress  upon 
these  vocal  elements  as  well,  but  the  exact 
value  is  scarcely  discernible.  This  is  true 
partly  because  the  actual  speech  of  the  ancient 
Hebrews  is  not  wholly  restored  by  modern 
scholarship,  so  that  the  niceties  of  the  language 
are  still  beyond  the  range  of  our  perceptions. 
Various  rhythmic  schemes  have  been  sug- 
gested, but  as  yet  none  commands  the  unquali- 
fied sanction  of  scholarship.  Indeed,  the  whole 
subject  of  Hebrew  poetry  has  been  held  in 
obscurity  through  long  centuries.  There  was  a 
recognition  of  the  fact  that  much  of  these 
Scriptures  was  poetical;  but  wherein  this  con- 
sisted was  unperceived.  The  authorized  versions 
of  the  Scriptures  made  no  attempt  to  distin- 
guish poetry  from  prose.  Nor,  indeed,  could 
this  have  been  done.  The  common  mind,  how- 
ever, made  the  distinction  on  the  basis  of  a 
11  161 


DID  JESUS  WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

natural  selection.  The  passages  which  lodged 
in  people's  minds  were  almost  without  excep- 
tion of  poetical  origin.  This  is  a  remarkable 
testimony  to  their  mnemonic  quality.  The 
conditions  under  which  they  originated  thus 
justified  the  process  after  centuries  and  among 
a  people  of  strange  speech. 

The  real  nature  and  the  distinguishing 
characteristics  of  this  prosody  were  first  dis- 
criminated by  Bishop  Lowth  in  the  latter  half 
of  the  Seventeenth  Century.  He  perceived 
that  parallelism  of  thought  was  the  uniform 
characteristic;  following  this  clew  he  was  able 
to  show  the  various  kinds  of  parallelism  and 
the  nature  of  the  relations  between  the  several 
lines  and  the  upbuilding  of  a  stanza.  The 
matter  is  of  such  technical  importance  that  we 
shall  follow  the  exposition  of  the  subject  as 
given  by  one  of  the  most  eminent  authorities. 
Dr.  S.  R.  Driver,  of  Oxford  University. 

This  authority  first  calls  attention  to  the 
general  nature  of  the  subject  matter.  Of  the 
four  chief  forms  of  poetry,  the  epic  and  the 
drama  are  almost  wholly  unknown  among  the 
Hebrews.  There  is  indeed  a  vague  approach 
to  the  drama  in  the  Book  of  Job  and  in  the 
Song  of  Songs.  But  the  former  is  more  nearly 
akin  to  the  philosophical  dialogue  which  came 
to  prevail  among  the  Greeks.  The  latter  is 
lyrical  rather  than  dramatic.    The  chief  tendency 

162 


PROLEGOMENA 

of  the  Hebrew  mind  being  introspective,  it  is 
natural  that  the  lyric  and  the  didactic  should 
have  come  to  prevail.  The  division  is  more  or 
less  arbitrary,  for  the  two  approach  one  another 
so  that  the  line  of  division  is  sometimes  difficult 
to  establish. 

Poetry  is  distinguished  from  prose  by  the 
recurrent  check  which  divides  the  utterances 
into  lines.  Among  the  Western  peoples  these 
have  been  determined  by  the  aggregate  of 
phonetic  elements;  a  certain  number  of  syllables 
have  constituted  a  line,  whether  or  no  the 
sense  matched.  These  lines  have  sustained  cer- 
tain proportions  to  each  other,  and  thus  the 
ear  has  come  to  find  a  special  satisfaction  in  the 
utterance  of  these  measured  units.  Rhyme 
also  has  been  appreciated  as  marking  these 
units  in  a  definite  and  pleasing  manner.  But 
among  the  Hebrews  this  was  in  no  sense  of 
importance.  A  certain  lilt  of  utterance  has  been 
recognized;  but  anything  approaching  meter  is 
questionable,  while  rhyme  belongs  to  the  realm 
of  accident.  "The  poetical  instinct  among 
the  Hebrews  appears  to  have  been  satisfied  by 
the  adoption  of  lines  of  approximately  the  same 
length,  which  were  combined  as  a  rule  into 
groups  of  two,  three,  or  four  lines,  constituting 
verses — the  verses  marking  usually  more  dis- 
tinct pauses  in  the  progress  of  the  thought  than 
the  separate  lines.     The  fundamental  form  of 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

the  Hebrew  verse  is  the  couplet  of  two  Hnes, 
the  second  line  either  repeating  or  in  some  way 
reinforcing  or  completing  the  thought  of  the 
first.  In  the  verse  of  two  lines  is  exemplified 
the  principle  which  most  widely  regulates  the 
form  of  Hebrew  poetry,  the  '  parallelismus 
memhrorum* — the  parallelism  of  two  clauses  of 
approximately  the  same  length,  the  second 
clause  answering  or  in  some  way  completing 
the  thought  of  the  first.  The  Hebrew  verse 
does  not,  however,  consist  uniformly  of  two 
lines;  the  addition  of  a  third  line  is  apt  es- 
pecially to  introduce  an  element  of  irregularity." 
At  this  point  we  must  deviate  from  the  analysis 
of  Dr.  Driver  to  suggest  that  this  irregularity 
constitutes  in  reality  a  variety  rather  than  an 
exception;  it  is  by  means  of  this  variation  that 
exquisite  flexibility  is  attained  which  gives  to 
the  poetry  an  adaptation  which  effectually 
overcomes  the  natural  tendency  to  monotony. 
The  lines  of  poetry  are  also  varied;  on  an 
average  they  consist  of  seven  or  eight  syllables; 
but  this  is  an  average  and  does  not  guarantee 
against  wide  variations.  In  some  instances 
lines  rendered  into  sixteen  English  syllables 
are  matched  by  others  of  but  four  or  five. 
This,  however,  is  an  extreme  which  is  not  com- 
mon. The  quieter  strains  of  poetry  are  more 
likely  ^to  have  evenly -balanced  lines;  this  is  a 
natural  effect  of  the  distribution  of  the  emotion. 

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PROLEGOMENA 

While  in  the  intensely  lyrical  Psalms  there  is 
sometimes  a  marked  variation. 

The  parallelism  of  members  follows  several 
forms.  Bishop  Lowth  distinguished  three  prin- 
cipal modes.    These  are: 

1.  Synonymous  parallelism.  In  this  kind 
the  second  line  enforces  the  thought  of  the  first 
by  repeating,  and,  as  it  were,  by  echoing  it  in 
a  varied  form,  producing  an  effect  at  once 
grateful  to  the  ear  and  satisfying  to  the  mind; 
or  else  the  second  line  expresses  a  thought  not 
indeed  identical  with  the  first,  but  parallel  and 
similar  to  it.  These  forms,  which  are  perhaps 
the  most  common,  are  illustrated  in  such  pas- 
sages as  follows: 

I  will  cry  unto  God  with  my  voice, 

Even  unto  God  with  my  voice. — Psalm  77:1. 

In  Judah  is  God  known, 

His  name  is  great  in  Israel. — Psalm  76:  1. 

Or  the  second  form  is  shown  in  the  following 
passages : 

He  will  have  pity  on  the  poor  and  needy, 

And  the  souls  of  the  needy  He  will  save. — Psalm  72: 13. 

The  earth  is  Jehovah's,  and  the  fullness  thereof; 
The  world  and  they  that  dwell  therein. — Psalm  24:  1. 

All  my  familiar  friends  abhor  me. 

And  they  whom  I  loved  are  turned  against  me. 

—Job  19:19. 
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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

2.  Antithetic  parallelism.  In  this  form  the 
first  line  is  set  in  contrast  with  the  second, 
which  tl^s  possesses  a  value  of  accentuating 
the  first.  It  is  of  peculiar  value  where  the  sub- 
ject admits  of  contrast,  as  is  the  case  in  sen- 
tentious expressions  of  practical  life. 

Though  he  spare  it  and  will  not  let  it  go, 

But  keep  it  still  within  his  mouth. — Job  20:  13. 

It  is  an  honor  for  a  man  to  keep  aloof  from  strife, 
But  every  fool  will  be  quarreling. — Prov.  20 :  3. 

3.  Synthetic  parallelism.  In  this  combina- 
tion the  second  line  carries  forward  the  thought 
of  the  first  in  such  a  way  that  the  two  fuse  in  a 
larger  picture.  It  is  an  exceedingly  flexible 
relation  and  in  the  hands  of  an  incompetent 
writer  would  bring  the  form  to  the  level  of 
prose.  Yet  it  is  so  distinctively  used  that  its 
place  and  function  must  be  clearly  recognized 
if  one  is  to  do  justice  to  the  poetic  forms. 
Several  examples  are  given: 

Behold,  bless  ye,  Jehovah,  all  ye  servants  of  Jehovah, 
That  by  night  stand  in  the  house  of  Jehovah. 

—Psalm  134:  1. 

Let  the  avenging  of  the  blood  of  thy  servants  which 

is  shed, 
Be  known  among  the  nations  in  our  sight. 

—Psalm  79: 10. 
166 


PROLEGOMENA 

Who  is  this  that  darkeneth  counsel. 

By  words  without  knowledge? — Job  38:  2. 

I  will  cause  the  enemy  to  make  supplication  unto  thee 
In  the  time  of  evil  and  in  the  time  of  aflQiction. 

— Jer.  15:11. 

4.  Causal  parallelism.  This  form  has  not 
been  noted  in  the  ordinary  analysis  of  poetic 
elements,  yet  it  is  one  of  the  most  frequent 
and  distinctive,  and  as  such  is  entitled  to  a 
separate  consideration.  In  this  form,  one  line 
matches  the  other  by  reason  of  giving  the  cause; 
it  may  be  either  the  first  or  the  second,  but  the 
relationship  is  definite  and  clear. 

They  say  unto  God,  Depart  from  us! 

For  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  Thy  ways. 

—Job  21 :  14. 

The  Lord  will  laugh  at  him, 

For  He  sees  that  his  day  is  coming. — Psalm  37: 13. 

.  Save  me,  O,  God! 
For  the  waters  are  come  into  my  soul. — Psalm  69:  1. 

Because  he  has  set  his  love  upon  me. 
Therefore  will  I  deliver  him. — Psalm  91:  14. 

Having  such  elements  to  deal  with,  the  poet 
was  able  to  contrive  various  combinations  when 
he  came  to  the  larger  forms.  The  first  combina- 
tion would  be  the  tristich.  Of  this  there  were 
several  forms;  the  three  lines  might  be  joined 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

by  a  parallelism  running  through  all.  More 
commonly,  however,  one  line  would  be  balanced 
against  a  parallelism  of  two.  In  this  form  there 
was  a  great  variety.  Not  only  might  the  single 
line  be  either  the  first,  second,  or  third,  but  it 
might  be  related  in  any  one  of  the  four  forms  of 
relation,  and  the  two  lines  which  were  matched 
might  likewise  sustain  to  each  other  any  one 
of  the  relations.  So  that  there  was  the  pos- 
sibility of  some  fifty  ways  of  developing  the 
combination.    Some  of  these  can  be  set  forth: 

Be  still  and  know  that  I  am  God; 
I  will  be  exalted  among  the  nations, 
I  will  be  exalted  in  the  earth. — Psalm  46:  10. 

Here  we  have  the  last  two  lines  related  by 
the  most  direct  parallelism,  and  this  unity  in 
turn  to  the  first  by  synthetic  parallelism;  but 
the  whole  effect  has  a  high  degree  of  compact- 
ness: 

O,  love  Jehovah,  all  ye  His  saints; 
Jehovah  preserveth  the  faithful. 
And  plentifully  rewardeth  him  that  dealeth  proudly. 

—Psalm  31 :  23. 

The  relation  between  the  last  two  lines  is  anti- 
thetic; between  these  and  the  first  it  is  causal. 
These  relationships  are  no  less  evident  because 
the  formal  introductory  word  is  absent. 

168 


PROLEGOMENA 

O,  God,  Thou  art  my  God,  earnestly  will  I  seek  Thee. 
My  soul  thirsteth  for  Thee,  my  flesh  longeth  for  Thee. 
In  a  dry  and  weary  land  where  no  water  is. 

—Psalm  63:1. 

Here  there  is  a  simple  parallelism  between  the 
first  two  lines,  while  the  combination  is  related 
to  the  third  in  synthesis. 

I  was  eyes  to  the  blind. 

And  feet  was  I  to  the  lame, 

I  was  a  father  to  the  needy. — Job  29 :  15, 16. 

Here  is  shown  a  relation  of  parallelism  affecting 
equally  each  number  of  the  tristich.  But  where 
so  many  variations  are  possible  these  must  suf- 
fice to  show  the  effectiveness  of  the  combina- 
tions. 

Quite  frequently  there  is  presented  the 
stanza  relation  of  a  tetrastich,  in  which  there 
is  simply  a  double  parallelism,  or  else  the  first 
and  third  and  second  and  fourth  lines  may  be 
matched.  Where  there  is  the  double  parallelism 
the  relation  between  the  two  parts  may  have 
the  same  variety  as  exist  between  the  lines  in 
forming  a  simple  parallelism.  Some  of  these 
results  may  be  indicated  as  follows: 

But  where  shall  wisdom  be  found.'' 
And  where  is  the  place  of  understanding? 
Man  knoweth  not  the  price  thereof. 
Neither  is  it  found  in  the  land  of  the  living. 

—Job  28:  12. 
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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

O,  clap  your  hands,  all  ye  peoples; 

Shout  unto  God  with  the  voice  of  triumph; 

For  Jehovah  Most  High  is  terrible, 

He  is  a  great  King  over  all  the  earth. — Psalm  47: 1, 2. 

Be  merciful  unto  me,  O,  God,  be  merciful  unto  me; 

For  my  soul  taketh  refuge  in  Thee, 

Yea,  in  the  shadow  of  Thy  wings  will  I  take  refuge, 
Until  these  calamities  be  overpast. — Psalm  57:  1. 

They  shall  build  the  old  wastes. 

They  shall  raise  up  the  former  desolations. 

And  they  shall  repair  the  waste  cities, 

The  desolations  of  many  generations, — Isaiah  61 :  4. 

But  just  as  combinations  can  be  made  of 
the  distichs,  so  they  can  be  effected  very 
happily  as  between  a  distich  and  tristich;  and 
this  gives  the  added  variation  that  the  two 
Hues  may  come  first  or  may  close  the  stanza. 
Some  very  beautiful  results  are  thus  attained. 
Certainly  there  is  a  flexibility  to  the  verse  which 
adds  to  the  charm  and  enables  the  poet  to  touch 
his  theme  with  lightness  or  with  power,  as  the 
mood  may  dispose  him.  Such  an  example  is 
afforded  us  in  the  following  passage: 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  upon  Me, 
Because  Jehovah  has  anointed  Me  to  preach  the  good 
tidings  unto  the  meek; 
He  has  sent  Me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted. 
To  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives, 
And  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are 
bound. 

170 


PROLEGOMENA 

With  this  stanza  before  us  we  may  well  pause 
for  its  analysis.  The  first  two  lines  are  related 
causally.  In  the  tristich  there  is  the  synthetic 
relation  between  the  first  line  and  the  two 
succeeding  ones,  while  these  in  turn  are  placed 
in  simple  parallelism.  The  whole  stanza  is 
bound  into  unity  by  a  synthetic  parallelism 
between  the  two  strophes.  Another  variety  of 
this  form  is  shown  in  the  One  Hundredth  Psalm : 

Enter  into  His  gates  with  thanksgiving, 

And  into  His  courts  with  praise, 

Give  thanks  unto  Him  and  bless  His  name; 

For  Jehovah  is  good;  His  loving  kindness  en- 
dureth  forever. 

And  His  faithfulness  unto  all  generations. 

We  must  note  also  that  at  times  the  stanza 
was  combined  from  two  tristichs,  giving  a  six- 
line  result.  This  of  course  did  not  lend  itself 
to  variety  as  easily  as  the  form  which  has  been 
discussed,  and  was  more  ponderous  than  the 
simple  tetrastich ;  none  the  less,  like  the  hexam- 
eter, it  had  its  proper  place  and  might  be  used 
to  good  advantage  where  thought  required  a 
more  measured  and  stately  expression.  The 
power  of  this  form  is  well  exemplified  in  the 
accompanying  passage: 

O,  sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song, 
Sing  unto  Jehovah,  all  the  earth, 
Sing  unto  Jehovah,  bless  His  name; 
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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN    GOSPEL 

Show  forth  His  salvation  from  day  to  day, 
Declare  His  glory  among  the  nations, 
His  marvelous  works  among  all  peoples. 

—Psalm  96: 1-3. 

These  perhaps  suflfice  to  show  the  possi- 
bilities of  these  variations  in  the  hands  of  a 
master;  but  they  show  also  that  the  effects 
are  not  to  be  wrought  by  chance.  No  man 
could  hope  to  know  "letters"  without  at  least 
giving  his  attention  to  the  art.  David  might 
sing  in  his  fields,  as  Robert  Burns  behind  the 
plow;  but  in  either  case  there  must  have  been 
an  instinctive  appreciation  of  poetic  values 
and  long  practice  to  develop  the  requisite  skill. 
There  is  occasion  for  art  in  these  structures 
as  well  as  in  those  which  depend  for  their  effect 
upon  a  vocal  melody.  A  novice  could  produce 
doggerel  here  as  well  as  under  other  conditions. 

These,  then,  are  the  elements  of  Hebrew 
prosody;  they  explain  in  a  large  degree  the 
composition  of  the  wonderful  songs  and  in- 
spired oracles;  they  reveal  processes  at  once 
simple  but  capable  of  a  high  degree  of  tech- 
nique. It  is  at  once  apparent  that  noble  effects 
were  not  to  be  secured  by  accident.  For  these 
men  might  well  toil,  and  hold  it  as  a  high 
achievement  so  to  sing  that  the  popular  mind 
caught  up  the  refrain  and  gave  to  the  melody 
a  more  than  transient  existence.  It  is  notable 
also  that  these  forms  tended,  in  a  rare  degree, 

172 


PROLEGOMENA 

to  clarify  an  expression,  for  one  line  would 
amplify  or  contrast  with  another  in  such  a 
way  as  to  fix  the  thought.  Thus  they  came 
to  possess  a  rare  power  for  didactic  purposes. 
It  is  easily  to  be  understood  then  that  many 
a  teacher  made  use  of  them  to  present  his 
best  ideas  to  the  world.  It  is  no  mere  accident 
that  the  didactic  poetry  of  the  Hebrews  bulks 
very  large  in  the  survivals  of  their  literature. 
We  may  notice  also  that  where  such  forms  are 
found  we  can  be  well  content  that  we  are  deal- 
ing with  the  original  and  not  an  abbreviated 
or  reminiscent  account  of  some  deliverance. 
This  is  too  patent  to  require  emphasis.  But 
one  can  no  more  give  the  substance  merely, 
without  ruining  the  form,  than  he  could  hope 
to  give  the  sense  of  one  of  Tennyson's  lyrics 
and  still  retain  the  poetry. 

Across  the  stage  of  Hebrew  history  these 
bards  and  poets  march  in  long  procession.  Even 
in  the  days  of  the  Patriarchs  the  spirit  of  song 
was  upon  the  people.  It  is  no  fiction  of  a  later 
time  that  Israel  is  made  to  chant  his  final 
benediction  as  he  lies  upon  his  deathbed: 

Assemble  yourselves  and  hear,  ye  sons  of  Jacob, 
And  hearken  unto  Israel,  your  father. 

And  quite  in  the  spirit  of  this  great  impulse 
after  the  salvation  from  Egypt  we  catch  the 
triumphant  strains  of  the  Song  of  Miriam: 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

I  will  sing  unto  Jehovah,  for  He  has  triumphed 

gloriously; 
The  horse  and  the  rider  has  He  thrown  into  the  sea. 

Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  song, 

And  He  is  become  my  salvation; 
This  is  my  God  and  I  will  praise  Him, 
My  father's  God,  and  I  will  exalt  Him. 

This  age  of  wandering  comes  to  its  close  with 
the  glorious  periods  of  the  song  of  Moses  and 
of  his  blessing: 

Happy  art  thou,  O  Israel, 

Who  is  like  unto  thee,  a  people  saved  by  Jehovah? 

The  shield  of  thy  help, 

And  the  sword  of  thy  excellency ! 
And  thy  enemies  shall  submit  themselves  to  thee, 
And  thou  shalt  tread  upon  their  high  places. 

Through  the  period  of  the  dawning  national 
Hfe  we  find  that  in  every  great  crisis  men  rose 
up  to  fight  the  battles  of  the  land  and  others 
arose  to  sing  in  heroic  strains.  Thus  we  have 
the  song  of  Deborah: 

Hear,  O  ye  kings;  give  ear,  O  ye  princes; 
I,  even  I,  will  sing  unto  Jehovah; 
I  will  sing  praises  to  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Isreal. 

and  moving  on  to  the  splendid  close: 

So  let  Thine  enemies  perish,  O  Jehovah; 
But  let  them  that  love  Him  be  as  the  sun, 
When  he  goeth  forth  in  his  might. 
174 


PROLEGOMENA 

So  also  we  find  Samson  singing  his  riddle,  and 
thus  evincing  another  function  of  poetry: 

Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  food, 

And  out  of  the  strong  came  forth  sweetness. 

This  type  of  the  "dark  saying"  came  in  the  end 
to  have  a  prodigious  vogue,  and  to  be  a  recog- 
nized form  of  poetry. 

A  little  later  in  this  period  we  have  the 
song  of  Hannah,  written  in  a  highly-developed 
poetic  form.  The  concluding  stanza  will  suf- 
fice: 

They  that  strive  with  Jehovah  shall  be  broken  to 

pieces ; 
Against  them  will  He  thunder  in  heaven; 
Jehovah  will  judge  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
And  He  will  give  strength  to  His  King, 
And  exalt  the  horn  of  His  anointed. 

The  relation  of  this  song  to  one  of  a  later  age 
sung  on  the  dedication  of  a  child  to  divine 
service  is  so  readily  apparent  that  it  may  be 
said  to  be  its  prototype.  From  this  time  on 
history  abounds  in  recognition  of  the  place  of 
poetry  in  national  life.  The  significant  thing 
is  this:  Among  the  Hebrews  poetry  is  not  a 
thing  apart  from  the  national  activity,  but  as 
among  no  other  people,  it  is  at  once  the  inspira- 
tion and  expression  of  the  great  movements 
in  their  history.  It  has  a  public  function  akin 
to  that  of  journalism  and  oratory.  It  is  emi- 
nently the  thing  for  a  man  with  a  message  to 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

accustom  himself  to  these  forms  and  thus  to 
make  his  appeal  to  the  popular  mind.  Kings 
and  prophets  alike  found  it  an  important  ele- 
ment in  their  influence.  It  is  this,  perhaps, 
which  saves  it  from  mere  art  and  prettiness — 
it  is  ever  charged  with  deep  purpose.  Unless 
this  distinction  is  clearly  apprehended,  we  shall 
fail  to  do  justice  to  the  poetic  element  in  history 
or  to  understand  how  naturally  men  with  a 
message  made  use  of  its  value.  They  had  in 
effect  a  monopoly  of  poetic  forms;  the  very 
title  of  "poet"  was  a  tribute  to  intellectual 
greatness  and  moral  purpose. 

The  illustrative  material  by  which  the  vari- 
ety of  form  has  been  presented  is  perhaps  a 
sufl5cient  proof  of  the  wide  scope  of  poetic 
activity  during  the  prophetic  period;  while  the 
later  Psalms  and  the  later  Isaiah  are  illustra- 
tions of  this  influence  in  the  Post-Exilic  period. 
So  also  the  selections  from  the  non-canonical 
literature  suffice  to  establish  the  same  con- 
clusions. These  bring  us  very  close  to  the 
New  Testament  age;  the  tide  is  flowing  full 
and  strong,  and  it  does  not  seem  reasonable 
that  it  should  suddenly  subside. 

Nor  indeed  is  such  the  case.  For  upon  the 
first  page  of  the  Gospel  of  Luke  we  find  a  burst 
of  song  which  in  sweetness  of  expression,  in 
beauty  of  content,  has  a  quality  which  places 
it  among  the  great  utterances  of  the  Hebrew 

176 


PROLEGOMENA 

race.  It  is  significant  that  this  song  is  placed 
upon  the  lips  of  the  mother  of  Jesus;  whatever 
there  is  in  heredity  under  such  circumstances 
raises  a  question  full  of  interest.  Nor  is  this 
suggestion  affected  by  the  fact  that  the  words 
may  have  had  a  later  origin;  for  among  con- 
temporaries there  must  have  been  some  reason 
warranting  the  imputing  of  noble  melody  to 
this  woman.  The  song  itself  deserves  full 
presentation : 

My  soul  does  magnify  the  Lord, 

And  my  spirit  has  rejoiced  in  God  my  Savior; 

For  He  hath  looked  upon  the  low  estate  of  His 

handmaid ; 
For  behold,  from  henceforth  all  generations  shall 
call  me  blessed; 
For  He  that  is  mighty  has  done  me  great  things, 
And  holy  is  His  name. 

And  His  mercy  is  unto  generations 

Of  them  that  fear  Him; 

He  hath  showed  strength  with  His  arm. 
He  hath  scattered  the  proud  in  the  imagination 
of  their  heart; 

He  hath  put  down  princes  from  their  thrones. 

And  hath  exalted  them  of  low  degree. 

The  hungry  He  hath  filled  with  good  things, 
And  the  rich  He  hath  sent  empty  away; 

He  hath  given  help  to  Israel  His  servant, 

That  He  might  remember  mercy. 
As  He  spake  unto  our  fathers. 
Toward  Abraham  and  his  seed  forever. 
U  177 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

The  whole  situation  with  which  Luke  begins 
is  intensely  lyrical;  song  wells  up  to  the  lips  of 
all.  Certainly  there  was  a  sufficiency  of  in- 
spiration; but  the  undoubted  fact  is  that  here 
we  have  a  renaissance  of  poetry  along  with  the 
new  spiritual  vision.  It  may  be  well  allowed 
that  these  precious  melodies  are  an  after-effect; 
but  this  only  postpones  the  outburst  of  song 
by  a  few  years.  Zacharias,  the  father  of  John 
the  Baptist,  is  made  to  speak  in  numbers. 
The  words  which  came  from  his  lips  deserve 
also  to  be  noted: 

Blessed  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel, 
For  He  hath  visited  and  wrought  redemption  for 
His  people, 

And  hath  raised  up  a  horn  of  salvation  for  us. 

In  the  house  of  His  servant  David. 

Because  of  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God, 

Whereby  the  dayspring  from  on  high  shall  visit  us. 

To  shine  upon  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  the 
shadow  of  death. 

To  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace. 

So  also  we  may  quote  the  utterance  of  the  aged 
Simeon  on  the  presentation  of  the  child  Jesus 
in  the  Temple: 

Now  lettest  Thou  Thy  servant  depart.  Lord, 
According  to  Thy  Word,  in  peace; 

For  mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salvation, 
178 


PROLEGOMENA 

Which   Thou   hast   prepared   before  the   face   of 
all  peoples; 
A  light  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles, 
And  the  glory  of  Thy  people  Israel. 

After  such  lyrical  expressions  from  the  older 
generation,  showing  the  possession  of  the  talent 
of  song,  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  among 
the  sayings  attributed  to  John  the  Baptist 
such  a  one  as  this: 

I  indeed  baptize  you  in  water  unto  repentance, 
But  He  that  cometh  after  me  is  mightier  than  I, 
Whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear; 

He  shall  baptize  you  in  the  Holy  Spirit  and  fire. 

Whose  fan  is  in  His  hand. 

And   He  will  thoroughly  cleanse  His  threshing 

floor. 
And  He  will  gather  the  wheat  into  the  garner, 
But  the  chaff  He  will  burn  up  with  unquenchable 
fire. 

And  once  again,  from  the  few  expressions  of 
the  Baptist's  teaching  which  have  survived, 
we  gather  this  poetic  form: 

He  that  hath  the  bride  is  the  bridegroom; 

But  the  friend  of  the  bridegroom  that  standeth 

and  heareth  him, 
Rejoiceth   greatly   because   of   the   bridegroom's 
voice; 
This  my  joy  therefore  is  made  full; 
He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease. 
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DID   JESUS   WRITE    HIS   OWN    GOSPEL 

This  is  suflScient  proof  that  the  instinct  of  song 
had  leaped  from  the  prophets  to  the  evangeHsts 
of  the  new  era.  The  matter,  however,  has  such 
an  interest  that  we  may  well  follow  it  to  a 
farther  observation,  and  note  the  degree  in  which 
such  forms  were  made  available  for  the  trans- 
mission of  ethical  instruction. 

Scattered  through  the  Pauline  epistles  there 
are  fragments  which  chant  themselves  after 
the  fashion  of  Hebrew  verse;  some  of  these  have 
fastened  themselves  upon  the  memory  and 
imagination  of  the  ages.  It  is  almost  axiomatic 
that  whatever  passage  has  had  wide  quotation 
will  be  found  to  be  influenced  in  some  degree 
at  least  by  the  rhythm  of  thought.  The  field 
is  an  inviting  one,  and  some  day  will  have  full 
justice  done  to  it;  but  for  the  present  we  pass 
on,  content  only  to  quote  the  exhortation, 
which  shows  the  currency  of  Christian  song 
more  fully  than  could  any  specific  illustration, 
*'Be  filled  with  the  Spirit,  speaking  one  to  an- 
other in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs, 
singing  and  making  melody  with  your  heart 
to  the  Lord."  It  is  quite  obvious  that  this 
would  have  been  a  vain  counsel  except  there 
were  at  hand  the  material  with  which  to  fulfill 
the  mandate.  Hence  we  may  surmise  a  certain 
frequency  of  poetic  utterance  among  these  first 
Christians. 

In  this  matter  one  of  the  minor  epistles  is 
180 


PROLEGOMENA 

entitled  to  a  certain  pre-eminence;  indeed,  it 
does  not  appear  to  be  an  epistle  at  all  save  in 
the  matter  of  its  dedication.  This,  however, 
was  quite  consonant  with  the  custom  of  the 
time,  as  has  already  been  stated.  Under  this 
guise,  then,  we  find  in  the  Epistle  of  James 
certain  brief  passages  which  have  a  peculiar 
felicity  of  expression.  When  these  are  examined 
in  detail,  this  felicity  is  found  to  have  an 
abundant  rhetorical  reason;  the  nature  of  this 
is  best  made  apparent  by  exhibition.  The 
book  opens  with  the  following  passage: 

Count  it  all  joy,  my  brethren, 

When  ye  fall  into  manifold  temptations. 

Knowing  that  the  proving  of  your  faith  worketh 

patience, 
Let  patience  have  its  perfect  work, 
That  you   may   be  perfect   and   entire,   lacking 

nothing. 

But  if  any  of  you  lacketh  wisdom,  let  him  ask 

of  God, 
Who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth 

not. 
And  it  shall  be  given  him. 

But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing  doubting; 

For  he  that  doubteth  is  like  the  surge  of  the  sea. 

Driven  by  the  wind  and  tossed. 

Let  not  that  man  think  that  he  shall  receive  any- 
thing of  the  Lord; 
A  double  minded  man,  unstable  in  all  his  ways. 
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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Immediately  following  this  Logion  we  have 
another  more  rich  in  poetic  beauty,  though 
not  more  regular  in  its  forms: 

Let  the  brother  of  low  degree  glory  in  his  high  estate; 
And  the  rich,  in  that  he  is  made  low; 

Because  as  the  flower  of  the  grass  he  shall  pass 

away, 
For  the  sun  ariseth  with  the  scorching  wind  and 

withereth  the  grass, 
And  the  flower  thereof  falleth, 
And  the  grace  of  the  fashion  of  it  perisheth; 
So  also  shall  the  rich  man  fade  away  in  his  goings. 

The  general  tenor  of  the  collection  does  not 
maintain  this  level,  but  none  the  less  it  has  a 
good  average  for  didactic  verse,  and  at  times 
breaks  forth  in  lyrical  beauty.  The  passages 
require  careful  editing  to  reveal  their  full 
characteristics,  and  this  lies  beyond  the  scope 
of  the  present  investigation.  It  will  suffice  for 
the  purpose  in  hand  to  quote  two  or  three 
more  examples: 

Beloved,  I  beseech  you  as  sojourners  and  pilgrims, 

To  abstain  from  fleshly  lusts  which  war  against  the 
soul, 

Having  your  behavior  seemly  among  the  Gentiles; 
That  wherein  they  speak  against  you  as  evil  doers, 

They  may,  by  your  good  works  which  they  behold. 

Glorify  God  in  the  day  of  visitation. 

182 


PROLEGOMENA 

Or  again: 

Who  is  wise  and  understanding  among  you, 
Let  him  show  by  his  good  life  his  works  in  meekness 
of  wisdom; 
But  if  you  have  bitter  jealousy  and  faction  in  your 

heart. 
Glory  not  and  lie  not  against  the  truth. 

This  wisdom  is  not  that  which  cometh  down  from 
above. 

But  is  earthly,  sensual,  devilish; 
For  where  jealousy  and  faction  are, 
There  is  confusion  and  every  vile  deed. 

But  the  wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  first  pure. 
Then  peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated. 

Full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits, 

Without  variance,  without  hypocrisy. 

And  the  fruit  of  righteousness  is  sown  in  peace. 
For  them  that  make  peace. 

Once  more  we  quote  a  passage  in  which  the 
poetic  form  embodies  a  glow  of  imagery: 

Be  patient  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord; 

The  husbandman  waits  for  the  precious  fruits  of  the 

earth, 
Being  patient  over  it  until  it  receives  the  early  and 
the  latter  rain. 
Be  ye  also  patient;  establish  your  hearts, 
For  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  at  hand. 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  these  passages 
were  originally  in  the  native  tongue  of  the 
writer,  and  have  been  rendered  into  Greek  and 
thence  into  English.  Thence  it  is  that  at 
times  the  movement  seems  to  halt  until  it 
seems  questionable  whether  ever  the  melody 
were  there.  Again  there  is  in  certain  instances 
a  mingling  of  comment  and  Old  Testament 
exegesis  which  complicates  the  restoration  of 
the  harmony.  But  when  due  allowance  has 
been  made  for  these  alien  elements  it  is  seen 
that  we  have  a  survival  of  Hebrew  didactic 
poetry,  and  in  some  cases  of  a  very  high  type. 

It  would  be  quite  possible  to  present  other 
evidence  from  other  books  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  Epistle  of  John  has  strains  of 
melody  which  have  given  it  an  imperishable 
place  in  the  mind  of  the  Church.  But  it  is  well 
to  pause  with  the  present  illustrations  before 
us.  And  this  for  the  significant  reason  that, 
except  for  the  mere  fragment  from  old  Simeon, 
every  one  of  these  passages  is  from  a  relative, 
after  the  flesh,  of  the  great  Master.  We  have 
then  a  tribute  to  the  poetic  strain  which  touched 
the  whole  family  line  of  His  immediate  genera- 
tion. And  this  is  true  whether  the  passages 
be  held  to  be  from  these  persons  or  not.  For 
there  could  be  no  general  attributing  of  this 
power  to  so  many  people,  known  to  the  genera- 
tion which  so  attributed  them,  unless  there  was 

184 


PROLEGOMENA 

some  basis  in  tradition  at  least  which  would 
seem  to  justify  the  allusion.  We  may  conclude, 
then,  not  only  that  the  poetic  strain  revived 
in  New  Testament  times,  but  also  that  the 
family  of  Jesus  was  a  factor  in  this  revival. 
This  becomes  a  starting  point  for  a  suggestion 
that  has  in  it  a  vast  possibility  from  every  point 
of  view. 

To  present  Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  a  Man  of 
Letters,  carefully  brooding  over  His  thought 
until  He  had  wrought  it  into  the  exact  expres- 
sion, and  thus  giving  the  world  those  marvelous 
oracles  which  have  held  the  thought  of  ages 
in  charmed  interest  and  amazed  appreciation, 
this  indeed  is  to  reverse  all  tradition;  to  intro- 
duce Him  as  a  Poet  who  is  the  crowning  glory 
of  a  great  literature  and  who  was  Master  of 
form  as  well  as  of  lofty  sentiment,  this  is  to 
challenge  the  attention  of  the  time  and  to  call 
the  critics  into  action.  To  hold  that  we  are  in 
no  sense  dependent  upon  reminiscences,  ideal- 
ized after  the  lapse  of  time,  but  that  we  have 
the  carefully  composed  oracles  fresh  from  His 
hand  and  lips — this  is  to  find  a  new  authority 
and  to  secure  a  new  basis  for  interpretation. 
Such,  then,  is  the  thesis  whose  enunciation 
seems  compelled  by  the  actual  facts  in  the  case. 

But  however  contrary  to  accustomed  thought 
the  thesis  may  seem  to  be,  there  is  this  one 
thing  to  be  observed,  that  once  having  been 

185 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

laid  down,  it  does  not  admit  of  a  defense  by  hazy 
generalizations;  in  its  very  nature  it  requires 
to  be  put  to  the  proof,  and  that  by  tests  so 
keen  that  any  mere  pretensions  will  be  riddled 
at  the  first  effort  to  establish  them — the  matter 
admits  of  full  and  fair  demonstration  that  must 
silence  all  cavil  and  be  the  satisfactory  evidence 
to  all  candid  minds.  This  being  so,  there  is  no 
reason  why  the  evidence  should  not  be  at  once 
submitted  so  that  its  nature  and  value  can  be 
appreciated.  To  enable  such  appreciation  has 
been  the  primary  object  of  this  digressive  dis- 
cussion of  the  forms  of  Hebrew  verse;  that  the 
mind  be  freshly  familiarized  with  the  excellencies 
of  such  poetic  forms,  and  thus  the  better  test 
the  proposition  these  have  been  presented  with 
an  unusual  fullness.  From  such  consideration, 
then,  we  can  pass  to  the  examination  of  the 
thesis.  Stated  broadly  this  is  none  other  than 
the  claim,  that  the  Logia  attributed  to  Jesus 
are  commonly  in  the  exact  forms  of  Hebrew 
verse. 

The  argument  in  behalf  of  this  proposition 
divides  into  three  parts.  First,  the  proof  of 
the  fact  that  Jesus  was  Master  of  the  Hebrew 
verse  forms.  This  it  is  proposed  to  establish, 
by  quoting  passages  from  His  oracles  which 
match  practically  every  variety  of  poetic  form 
as  already  presented  from  the  best  authorities 
of  the  Old  Testament.     Having  the  fact  thus 

186 


PROLEGOMENA 

established,  we  shall  next  proceed  to  consider 
the  scope  of  these  poetic  elements,  and  this 
by  an  exhibition  of  a  great  portion  of  the 
oracles  attributed  to  Jesus.  The  argument  from 
exhibition  is  conclusive,  for  if  the  matter  admits 
of  poetic  presentation  with  any  considerable  ease, 
and  without  forcing  or  affectation,  the  con- 
clusion will  be  quite  obvious.  In  the  third  place, 
when  these  two  points  have  been  established, 
we  shall  find  ourselves  possessed  of  an  instru- 
ment of  criticism  by  which  to  solve  many  of 
the  hitherto  insoluble  problems  of  the  Gospel 
literature,  and  this  interpretative  value  will  be 
not  the  least  of  the  affirmative  arguments.  It 
will  be  observed,  however,  that  the  method  is 
in  reality  a  strict  adherence  to  the  hypothetical 
form,  and  hence  a  truly  scientific  process.  If 
the  poetic  forms  are  found,  then  the  hypothesis 
is  true. 

We  can  scarcely  do  better  in  this  analysis 
than  to  follow  the  description  of  Hebrew  poetry 
as  already  presented  and  supply  the  illustrative 
material  from  the  various  oracles  of  Jesus. 

1.  Synonymous  parallelism,  in  which  the 
second  line  echoes  the  thought  of  the  first, 
though  in  a  varied  form: 

A  disciple  is  not  above  his  master, 
Nor  a  servant  above  his  lord. 

There  is  nothing  covered  that  shall  not  be  revealed, 
And  nothing  hid  that  shall  not  be  made  known. 
187 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Every  kingdom  divided  against  itself  is  brought 

to  desolation. 
And    every    city   or   house   divided    against    itself 

shall  not  stand. 

The  second  phase  of  this  form  of  parallelism  is 
illustrated  in  such  passages  as  these: 

Give  not  that  which  is  holy  unto  the  dogs, 
Neither  cast  your  pearls  before  swine; 

He  that  is  not  with  Me  is  against  Me, 
And  he  that  gathers  not  with  Me,  scatters. 

2.  Antithetic  parallelism,  which  contrasts 
the  two  lines  as  in  the  following  examples: 

And  why  do  you  behold  the  mote  that  is  in  your 

brother's  eye, 
But  do  not  consider  the  beam  that  is  in  your  own  eye? 

If  the  house  be  worthy,  let  your  peace  come  upon  it; 
But  if  it  be  not  worthy,  let  your  peace  return  to  you. 

You  shall  be  hated  of  all  men. 

But  he  that  endures  to  the  end  shall  be  saved. 

3.  Synthetic  parallelism,  which  carries  for- 
ward the  thought  of  the  first  line  and  enlarges 
or  vivifies  the  picture  in  the  second: 

Not  every  one  who  says  to  Me,  "Lord!  Lord!" 
Shall  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

If  any  man  would  come  after  Me,  let  him  deny 

himself. 
And  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  Me. 

Into  whatsoever  city  you  shall  enter. 
Search  out  who  in  it  is  worthy. 
188 


PROLEGOMENA 

4.     Causal  parallelism,  which  sets  the  two 
lines  in  the  relation  of  statement  and  reason: 
When   you   pray    use   not  ^vain   repetitions,    as    the 

heathen  do, 
For  they  think  that  they  shall  be  heard  for  their 

much  speaking. 

Take  My  yoke  upon  you  and  learn  of  Me, 
For  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart. 

How  can  you,  being  evil,  speak  good  things, 
For  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the 
mouth  speaks. 

We  come  then  to  the  larger  combinations 
and  have  first  to  consider  the  tristich.  The 
examples  given  show  the  several  arrangements 
as  before  illustrated: 

Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  on  earth, 
Where  moth  and  rust  consume, 
And  where  thieves  break  through  and  steal. 

Judge  not,  that  you  be  not  judged; 

For  with  what  judgment  you  judge  you  shall  be 

judged. 
And  with  what  measure  you  mete,  it  shall  be 

measured  to  you  again. 

We  have  also  the  reverse  form,  in  which  the 
single  line  appears  last: 

For  straight  is  the  gate  and  narrow  the  way 

Which  leads  to  life. 

And  few  there  be  that  find  it. 

Whatsoever  you  would  that  men  should  do  to  you, 
Do  you  even  so  unto  them; 

For  this  is  the  Law  and  the  Prophets. 
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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

So  also  the  form  of  equal  emphasis  on  all  three 
lines  is  in  evidence; 

Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you; 

Seek  and  you  shall  find; 

Knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you. 

From  this  form  we  pass  to  the  tetrastich, 
only  to  find  an  equal  abundance  of  illustrative 
material : 

Every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak, 
They  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in  the  judgment; 
For  by  your  words  you  shall  be  justified, 
And  by  your  words  you  shall  be  condemned. 

Whosoever  will  confess  me  before  men. 

Him  will  I  confess  before  My  Father  in  Heaven; 

But  whosoever  will  deny  Me  before  men. 

Him  will  I  also  deny  before  My  Father  in  Heaven. 

I  thank  Thee,  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  e^th. 
That  Thou  didst  hide  these  things  from  the  wise 

and  prudent. 
And  didst  reveal  them  unto  babes; 

Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  Thy  sight. 

The  same  skill  as  is  requisite  for  the  efifective 
quatrain,  finds  an  exemplification  in  the  fuller 
and  more  attractive  combination  of  distich 
and  tristich: 

Whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  generation? 

It  is  like  children  sitting  in  the  market  place; 
They  call  to  their  fellows  and  say, 
"We  piped  to  you,  and  you  did  not  dance; 
We  wailed  and  you  did  not  mourn." 
190 


PROLEGOMENA 

This  selection  is  perhaps  as  exquisite  a  touch 
as  anything  in  the  whole  range  of  literature — 
it  evokes  the  picture  in  its  completeness  and 
makes  the  moral  application  so  deftly  that  the 
artistic  sense  is  as  well  satisfied  as  the  spirit 
is  inspired. 

We  have  then  traced  the  Master  in  His  use 
of  every  substantial  form  of  Hebrew  poetry; 
nor  can  it  be  said  that  these  passages  fall  in 
any  wise  below  the  standard  of  such  selections 
as  are  commonly  presented  to  make  clear  the 
forms  of  prosody.  Having  then  such  a  demon- 
stration of  poetic  mastery,  we  may  well  inquire 
with  the  wondering  throng  at  Jerusalem,  when 
they  heard  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded 
out  of  His  mouth.  "How,"  said  they,  "does 
this  Man  know  letters,  having  never  learned.^" 
It  is  the  perennial  wonder  of  mediocrity  in  the 
presence  of  genius.  Let  us  then  not  deny  Him 
this  meed  of  praise  which  even  His  enemies 
were  forced  to  concede.  We  may  hail  Jesus 
as  the  Man  of  Letters. 

In  presenting  the  poems  of  Jesus,  we  may 
well  begin  with  Matthew,  for  this  Gospel 
professedly  contains  His  Logia,  set  forth  at 
length,  and  hence  we  may  expect  that  here,  if 
anywhere,  the  form  will  have  been  preserved. 
It  scarcely  seems  necessary  to  allude  to  the 
effect  of  a  translation  from  the  Aramaean  into 
the    Greek.      The    highly    inflected    language 

191 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

could  not  but  affect  the  clausal  relations;  a 
participle  might  sum  up  in  itself  the  well-bal- 
anced clause  of  the  original.  Under  these 
circumstances  it  would  be  unreasonable  to 
look  for  the  exactness  which  an  original  might 
possess.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  recovery  would 
be  quite  impossible  were  it  not  that  we  are 
dealing  with  thought-elements  rather  than  pho- 
netic. A  certain  sympathy  also  between  the 
English  and  the  more  primitive  language  has 
tended  to  recover  the  balance  of  expression. 
This  is  in  part  due  to  the  tremendous  influence 
of  the  Scriptures  in  the  development  of  English 
speech;  partly  also  from  the  fact  that  the  first 
rude  essays  at  rendition  of  the  Scriptures  into 
the  common  speech  of  the  Anglo-Saxons  was 
by  certain  wandering  bards  who  chanted  the 
story  of  the  Christ,  and  thus  associated  the 
gospel  with  a  native  melody  which  has  tinged 
all  subsequent  renditions.  Because  of  these 
things  the  presentation  follows  the  regular 
versions,  and  these  seem  to  be  adequate  in 
nearly  every  instance.  Nor  must  these  expla- 
nations be  deemed  an  apology  for  the  short- 
comings of  this  presentation;  no  more  is  asked 
in  the  way  of  lenient  judgment  than  the  simple 
facts  warrant.  It  is  in  reality  to  preserve  the 
judicial  mind  in  the  presence  of  novelty. 


192 


Part  Two 

THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

I.  The  Matth^an  Logia. 

II.  The  Book  of  Parables. 

III.  The   Oracles  from  the   Fourth   Gospel. 

IV.  Poetic  Fragments. 


18 


Prologue 

(Matt.  7 :  24-887.     Luke  6 :  47-49  J 

Whosoever  hears  My  words, 
And  does  these  sayings  of  Mine, 

I  will  liken  him  to  a  wise  man, 

Who  built  his  house  on  a  rock. 

The  rains  descended  and  the  floods  came, 
The  winds  blew  and  beat  against  that  house; 

But  it  did  not  fall, 

For  it  was  builded  upon  a  rock. 

Whosoever  hears  My  words. 
But  does  not  do  these  sayings  of  Mine, 
I  will  liken  him  to  a  foolish  man. 
Who  built  his  house  on  the  sand. 

The  rains  descended  and  the  floods  came. 
The  winds  blew  and  beat  against  that  house; 

And  lo!  it  fell, 

And  great  was  the  fall  thereof. 


I 

The  Matth^la^n  Logia* 
I 

(Matt.  5 :  3-10.     Luke  6 :  20-22.) 

Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit, 
For  theirs  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 
Blessed  are  they  that  mourn. 
For  they  shall  be  comforted. 

Blessed  are  the  meek. 

For  they  shall  inherit  the  earth; 

Blessed  are  they  that  hunger. 

For  they  shall  be  filled. 

Blessed  are  the  merciful. 

For  they  shall  obtain  mercy; 
Blessed  are  the  peace  makers, 
For  they  are  the  children  of  God. 

Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart, 
For  they  shall  see  God; 

Blessed  are  the  persecuted, 

For  theirs  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 


♦Note  11. 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


II 

(Matt.  5: 11, 12;  44,  45.    Luke  6:  23,  etc.) 

Blessed  are  you,  when  men  shall  reproach  you. 
And  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you; 
Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad; 

For  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven; 

For  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets. 

Who  were  before  you. 

Bless  them  that  curse  you; 
Pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you; 
That  you  may  be  the  sons  of  your  Father  in 
heaven; 
He  makes  His  sun  to  shine  on  the  evil  and  the 

good, 
And  sends  rain  on  the  just  and  unjust. 
Be  you  perfect  as  your  Heavenly  Father  is 
perfect. 

All  things  that  you  would  have  men  do  to  you. 

Do  you  also  unto  them; 

For  this  is  the  Law  and  the  Prophets. 


198 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


III* 

(Matt.  5: 13-15.    Luke  14:  34,  35.) 

You  are  the  salt  of  the  earth — 
But  if  the  salt  has  lost  its  savor, 
It  is  cast  out  as  good  for  nothing, 
And  trodden  under  foot  of  man. 

You  are  the  light  of  the  world — 
Then  let  your  light  shine  before  men, 
So  that  they  may  see  your  good  works, 
And  glorify  your  Father  in  Heaven. 

Neither  do  men  light  a  candle. 

And  set  it  under  a  bushel; 

But  they  set  it  on  a  candle  stick, 
And  it  lights  the  whole  house. 


♦Note  12. 

199 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


IV 

(Matt.  6 :  21-47.    Luke  6 :  23-38.) 

You  have  heard  that  the  Ancients  said, 
"Thou  shalt  not  kill; 
Whosoever  shall  kill 
Shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment." 

But  I  say  unto  you, 
Whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother, 

Shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment; 
Whosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother,  "  Raca !  '* 

Shall  be  in  danger  of  the  council; 
Whosoever  shall  say  "Thou  fool!" 

Shall  be  in  danger  of  the  hell  of  fire. 

You  have  heard  that  the  Ancients  said, 
"Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery; 
Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife. 
Let  him  give  her  a  writing  of  divorcement." 

But  I  say  unto  you. 
Whoever  looks  upon  a  woman  to  lust  after  her. 

Has  committed  adultery  with  her  in  his  heart; 
Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife, 

Causes  her  to  commit  adultery; 
Whosoever  shall  marry  a  divorcee. 

Himself  commits  adultery. 

You  have  heard  that  the  Ancients  said, 
"Thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself, 
But  shalt  perform  unto  the  Lord  thy  oaths, 
Which  thou  hast  promised  with  thy  mouth." 
200 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

But  I  say  unto  you, 
Swear  not  by  heaven,  for  it  is  God's  throne; 

Nor  by  the  earth,  for  it  is  His  footstool; 
Neither  shall  you  swear  by  your  head, 

For  you  can  not  make  one  hair  black  or  white. 
But  let  your  communication  be  yea  and  nay; 

For  more  than  these,  comes  of  evil. 

You  have  heard  that  the  Ancients  said, 
"  An  eye  for  an  eye, 
A  tooth  for  a  tooth, 
A  life  for  a  life." 

But  I  say  unto  you. 
Whosoever  shall  smite  your  right  cheek. 

Turn  to  him  the  other  also; 
If  any  man  would  take  away  your  coat. 

Let  him  have  your  cloak  also; 
Whosoever  shall  compel  you  to  go  a  mile, 

Go  with  him  twain. 

You  have  heard  that  the  Ancients  said, 
"Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor. 
But  hate  thine  enemy." 

But  I  say  unto  you. 
What  reward  have  you  if  you  love  them  that 
love  you.? 
Do  not  even  the  Publicans  the  same.'' 
What  reward  have  you  if  you  salute  your  brethren 
only? 
Do  not  even  the  Gentiles  the  same? 
You  therefore  shall  love  your  enemies, 
And  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you. 


201 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

V 

(Matt.  6: 1-18.) 

Take  heed  of  your  righteousness, 
That  you  do  not  do  it  before  men  to  be  seen  of  them. 
Else  you  have  no  reward  of  your  Father  in  heaven. 

When  you  do  your  alms, 
Do  not  sound  a  trumpet  before  you 
In  the  synagogue  and  the  street. 
As  the  hypocrites  do, 
That  they  may  have  glory  of  men; 
Verily,  they  have  their  reward. 

But  you,  when  you  do  your  alms. 

Let  not  your  right  hand  know. 

What  your  left  hand  does; 

And  your  alms  being  in  secret. 
Your  Father  who  sees  in  secret. 
Shall  reward  you  openly. 

And  you,  when  you  pray. 

Do  not  stand  in  the  synagogue. 

And  in  the  corners  of  the  street, 
As  the  hypocrites  love  to  do. 
That  they  may  be  seen  of  men; 
Verily,  they  have  their  reward. 

But  you,  when  you  pray, 

Enter  your  closet, 

And  shut  to  the  door; 

Pray  to  your  Father  in  secret. 
And  your  Father,  who  sees  in  secret, 
Himself  shall  recompense  you. 
202 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

And  when  you  fast, 

Be  not  as  the  hypocrites. 

Of  a  sad  countenance; 

For  they  disfigure  their  faces, 

That  they  may  appear  to  men  to  fast; 

Verily,  they  have  their  reward. 

But  you,  when  you  fast. 

Anoint  your  head, 

That  you  be  not  seen  of  men; 

But  you  fast  to  your  Father  in  secret, 
And  your  Father,  who  sees  in  secret. 
Himself  shall  recompense  you. 


203 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

VI 

(Matt.  6: 7-13.    Luke  11: 2-4.) 

And  you,  when  you  pray, 
Use  not  vain  repetitions, 
As  the  heathen  do. 

They  think  they  shall  be  heard 
For  their  much  speaking; 
Be  you  not  like  them. 

For  your  Father  knows 
The  things  you  have  need  of. 
Before  you  ask  Him. 

But  when  you  pray,  say. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven, 

Hallowed  be  thy  name. 

Thy  Kingdom  come  on  earth. 
Thy  will  be  done 
As  it  is  in  heaven. 

Give  us  to-day  our  daily  bread, 
And  forgive  us  our  debts. 
As  we  forgive  our  debtors. 

Lead  us  not  into  temptation, 

But  deliver  us  from  evil. 

For  Thine  is  the  Kingdom,  forever. 


204 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
VII 

(Matt.  6:  25-34.    Luke  12:  22-31.) 

Be  not  anxious  for  your  life. 
What  you  shall  eat  and  drink, 
Or  wherewithal  you  shall  be  clothed; 
Is  not  the  life  more  than  the  meat, 
And  the  body  more  than  the  raiment? 

Behold  the  birds  of  the  heaven; 
They  neither  sow  nor  reap, 
Nor  gather  into  barns; 

Yet  your  Heavenly  Father  feeds  them. 

Are  you  not  much  better  than  they? 

Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field. 

How  they  grow;  they  toil  not. 

Neither  do  they  spin; 

Yet  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory 
Was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these. 

And  why  are  you  anxious  concerning  raiment? 
If  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field, 
Which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  burned. 

Shall  He  not  much  more  clothe  you, 

O,  you  of  little  faith? 

Be  not  therefore  anxious,  saying, 
What  shall  we  eat  or  drink. 
Or  wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed? 
For  your  Heavenly  Father  knows 
That  you  have  need  of  all  these  things. 

After  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek; 

But  seek  you  the  Kingdom  and  its  righteousness, 

And  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. 

Be  therefore  not  anxious  for  the  morrow. 

For  the  morrow  will  be  anxious  for  itself. 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE  HIS  OWN   GOSPEL 


VIII 

(Matt.  7: 1-5.     Luke  6: 41.  42.) 
Judge  not  that  you  be  not  judged. 

With  what  judgment  you  judge, 

You  shall  be  judged; 
And  with  what  measure  you  mete. 

It  shall  be  measured  to  you  again. 

And  why  do  you  behold  the  mote 

That  is  in  your  brother's  eye. 
But  do  not  consider  the  beam 

That  is  in  your  own  eye? 

Or  how  can  you  say  to  your  brother, 
"Let  me  pull  the  mote  out  of  your  eye," 

And  behold — 

The  beam  is  in  your  own  eye. 

O  hypocrite!    Cast  out  first 

The  beam  that  is  in  your  own  eye. 

Then  shall  you  see  clearly 

To  cast  the  mote  out  of  your  brother's  eye. 


206 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


IX 

(Matt.  7: 21-23.    Luke  6: 46.) 

Not  every  one  that  says  to  me,  "Lord!  Lord! 
Shall  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven; 

But  he  that  does  the  will 

Of  My  Father  who  is  in  heaven. 

Many  will  say  to  Me  in  the  Day,  "Lord!  Lord! 

Have  we  not  prophesied  in  Thy  name? 
And  in  Thy  name  have  cast  out  devils, 
And  in  Thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works?' 

Then  will  I  profess  to  them,  "I  never  knew  you; 
Depart  from  Me,  you  that  work  iniquity!" 


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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS  OWN   GOSPEL 

X 

(Matt.  10:  5-7,  9-14.     Luke  9: 1-5.) 

Go  not  into  the  way  of  the  Gentiles, 
And  enter  not  into  any  city  of  the  Samar- 
itans; 
But  go  rather  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the 

house  of  Israel, 
And  as  you  go,  preach  that  the  King- 
dom of  Heaven  is  at  hand. 

Get  you  no  gold,  nor  silver,  nor  brass,  in 

your  purses, 
Provide  no  wallet  for  your  journey ; 

Neither  two  coats,  nor  shoes,  nor  staff; 

For  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire. 

Into  whatsoever  city  you  shall  enter. 
Search  out  who  in  it  is  worthy. 

And  there  abide  until  you  go  forth; 

Go  not  from  house  to  house 

If  the  house  be  worthy, 

Let  your  peace  come  upon  it; 

But  if  it  be  not  worthy, 

Let  your  peace  return  to  you. 

Whosoever  will  not  receive  you, 

Nor  hear  your  words. 

As  you  go  forth  from  that  place. 
Shake  off  the  dust  from  your  feet. 


208 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XI 

(Matt.  10: 17-31.) 

Beware,  for  men  shall  deliver  you  to  councils, 
And  in  their  synagogues  shall  they  scourge  you. 

And  before  governors  and  kings  shall  you  be 
brought, 

For  a  testimony  to  them  and  the  Gentiles. 

When  they  shall  deliver  you  up, 

Be  not  anxious  what  you  shall  speak; 

For  it  shall  be  given  you  what  to  say; 

For  the  Spirit  of  my  Father  will  speak  in  you. 

Brother  shall  deliver  up  brother  to  death. 
And  children  shall  rise  up  against  parents; 

You  shall  be  hated  of  all  men, 

But  he  that  endures  to  the  end  shall  be  saved. 

Be  not  afraid  of  them  that  kill  the  body. 
But  after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can  do; 
Fear  Him  rather  who  is  able 
To  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell. 

Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for  a  penny? 
And  not  one  of  them  falls  to  the  ground  without 
your  Father; 

You  are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows; 

The  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered. 

Every  one  who  shall  confess  Me  before  men. 
Him  will  I  also  confess  before  My  Father; 
Whosoever  shall  deny  Me  before  men, 
Him  will  I  also  deny  before  My  Father. 

"  209 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XII 

(Matt.  10: 24,  25,  34-36.     Luke  6: 40.) 

A  disciple  is  not  above  his  master. 
Nor  a  servant  above  his  lord; 

It  is  enough  for  a  disciple 

That  he  be  as  his  master, 
And  the  servant  as  his  lord. 

If  they  have  called  the  Master  "Beelzebub!** 
How  much  more  them  of  his  household? 

Think  not  that  I  am  come 

To  send  peace  on  the  world; 
I  am  not  come  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword. 

I  have  come  to  set  a  man 
At  variance  with  his  father; 
A  daughter  against  her  mother, 
The  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in- 
law; 
A  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  house- 
hold. 


210 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XIII 

(Matt.  11 : 7-19.     Luke  7 :  24-28.  31-34.) 

What  went  you  to  the  wilderness  to  see? 
A  reed  shaken  by  the  wind? 

But  what  went  you  out  to  see? 

A  man  clothed  in  soft  raiment? 

They  that  wear  soft  raiment  are  in  palaces. 

But  what  went  you  out  to  see?     A  prophet? 

Yes,  and  much  more  than  a  prophet. 
Among  those  born  of  woman 
There  has  not  arisen  a  greater  than  John; 
Yet  the  least  in  the  Kingdom  is  greater  than  he. 

Before  the  days  of  John  the  Kingdom  suffered 

violence, 
And  the  violence  sought  to  take  it  by  force; 

All  the  prophets  but  prophesied  till  John; 

But  if  you  are  willing  to  receive  it, 

This  is  Elias,  who  was  to  come. 

Whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  generation? 

It  is  like  children  sitting  in  the  market  places; 
They  call  to  their  fellows  and  say, 
"We  piped  to  you  and  you  did  not  dance; 
We  wailed  and  you  did  not  mourn." 

John  came  neither  eating  and  drinking, 

And  they  say  he  has  a  devil; 

The  Son  of  man  came  eating  and  drinking, 
They  say,  "Behold  a  glutton  and  wine  bibber, 
A  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners." 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XIV 

(Matt.  11 :  21-25.     Luke  10 :  12-15.) 

Woe  unto  thee,  Chorazin! 

Woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida! 
For  if  the  mighty  works  done  in  you 
Had  been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon, 

They  would  have  repented  long  ago. 

In  sackcloth  and  ashes. 

Woe  unto  thee,  Capernaum! 

Art  thou  exalted  to  heaven.'^ 

Thou  shalt  go  down  to  hell. 
For  if  the  mighty  works  done  in  you. 
Had  been  done  in  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
They  would  have  remained  until  this  day. 

But  in  the  Day  of  Judgment 

It  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  these 

Than  it  shall  be  for  you. 


212 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XV 

(Matt.  11:  25-27.     Luke  11 :  21,  22.) 

thank  thee,  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth. 
That  Thou  didst  hide  these  things  from  the  wise 

and  prudent, 
And  didst  reveal  them  unto  babes; 
For  so  it  seemed  good  in  Thy  sight. 

All  things  have  been  delivered  to  Me  of  My  Father; 
No  one  knows  the  Son  save  the  Father, 
And  no  one  knows  the  Father  save  the  Son, 

And  he  to  whom  the  Son  wills  to  reveal  Him. 


213 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XVI 

(Matt.  12:  24-29,     Luke  11: 17-22.) 

A  kingdom  divided  against  itself  is  brought  to 

desolation; 
No  city  divided  against  itself  is  able  to  stand; 
If  Satan  casts  out  Satan,  he  is  divided  against 

himself; 
How  then  shall  his  kingdom  stand? 

If  I,  by  Beelzebub,  cast  out  devils, 

By  whom  do  your  sons  cast  them  out? 

But  if  I,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  cast  them  out, 
Then  is  the  Kingdom  of  God  come  upon  you. 

How  can  one  enter  the  house 

And  spoil  the  goods  of  the  strong  man, 

Except  he  shall  first  bind  the  strong  man? 

Then  shall  he  spoil  his  goods. 


£14 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XVII 

(Matt.  12: 43-45.     Luke  11:  24-26.) 

When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man, 
He  passes  through  waterless  places. 
Seeking  rest  and  finding  it  not. 

Then  says  he,  "  I  will  return 

To  the  house  whence  I  came  out;" 

And  when  he  is  come,  he  finds  it  empty. 

Then  goes  he  and  takes  with  him 
Seven  spirits  worse  than  himself. 
And  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there. 

And  the  last  state  of  that  man 
Is  worse  than  the  first. 


215 


DID  JESUS  WRITE   HIS  OWN   GOSPEL 


XVIII 

(Matt.  18:  3-10.     Mark  10: 15;  9:  42.     Luke  19: 17.) 

Except  you  become  as  little  children, 
You  shall  in  no  wise  enter  the  Kindgom  of 
Heaven; 
Whosoever  shall  humble  himself  as  a  little  child, 
He  is  the  greatest  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven; 
Whoso  receives  one  such  little  child,  receives  Me. 

Whosoever  shall  cause  to  stumble 

One  of  these  little  ones  who  believe  in  Me, 

It  were  profitable  for  him 

That  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck 
And  he  were  cast  into  the  depths  of  the  sea. 

See  that  you  despise  not  one  of  the  little  ones-; 
For  I  say  unto  you  that  their  angels 
Do  always  behold  the  face  of  My  Father; 
Even  so  it  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father 
That  one  of  these  little  ones  should  perish. 


216 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XIX 

(Matt.  18:7-9.) 

Woe  unto  the  world, 

Because  of  the  occasions  of  stumbling; 

It  must  needs  be  that  occasions  come, 

But  woe  unto  that  man 

Through  whom  the  occasions  come. 

If  your  right  hand  cause  you  to  stumble, 

Cut  it  off  and  cast  it  from  you; 
For  it  is  profitable  for  you 
That  one  of  your  members  should  perish 
And  not  your  whole  body  be  cast  into  hell. 

And  if  your  right  eye  cause  you  to  stumble, 

Pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  from  you; 
For  it  is  profitable  for  you 
That  one  of  your  members  should  perish 
And  not  your  whole  body  be  cast  into  hell. 


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DID  JESUS   WRITE   HIS  OWN   GOSPEL 


XX 

(Matt.  18: 15-17.) 

If  your  brother  sin  against  you, 
Show  him  his  fault  between  himself  and  you 
alone; 

If  he  shall  hear  you, 

You  have  gained  your  brother. 

But  if  he  does  not  hear  you, 
Take  with  you  one  or  two  more. 

That  at  the  mouth  of  two  witnesses  or  three, 

Every  word  may  be  established. 

If  he  shall  refuse  to  hear  them, 
Tell  it  to  the  elders  of  the  synagogue; 
If  he  refuse  to  hear  them  as  well, 
Let  him  be  to  you  as  the  Gentile  and 
publican.    . 


S18 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XXI 

(Matt.  23: 2-8.     Luke  11:46.) 

The  scribes  and  Pharisees  sit  in  Moses'  seat; 
All  things  therefore  that  they  bid  you, 

These  do  and  observe; 
But  do  not  after  their  works; 
For  they  say  but  do  not. 

Yea,  they  bind  heavy  burdens. 
And  grievous  to  be  borne, 

And  lay  them  on  men's  shoulders; 
But  they  themselves  will  not  lift  them 
With  their  little  finger. 

All  their  works  they  do  to  be  seen  of  men; 
They  broaden  their  phylacteries. 

And  enlarge  their  borders; 
They  love  the  chief  places  at  the  feasts, 
And  the  chief  seats  in  the  synagogues. 

They  delight  in  public  salutations, 
And  to  be  called  Rabbi!  of  men; 
But  be  not  you  called  Rabbi! 
For  one  is  your  Master, 
And  you  are  all  brethren. 


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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XXII 

(Matt.  23 :  13-28.     Luke  11:42-52.) 
Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites! 

For  you  shut  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  against  men; 
For  you  neither  enter  in  yourselves, 

Nor  suffer  those  who  are  entering  to  enter. 

Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites! 

For  you  devour  widows'  houses. 
Even  while  for  a  pretense  you  make  long  prayers; 

But  you  shall  receive  the  greater  condemnation. 

Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites! 

For  you  compass  sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte; 
And  when  he  is  become  so,  you  make  him 

Twofold  more  a  son  of  hell  than  yourselves. 

Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites!* 
For  you  tithe  mint  and  anise  and  cumin. 

And  have  left  undone  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law. 
Justice  and  mercy  and  faith; 

But  these  you  ought  to  have  done, 
And  not  have  left  the  other  undone. 

Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites ! 

For  you  cleanse  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter. 
But  within  they  are  full  of  extortion  and  excess. 

And  all  manner  of  uncleanliness. 
O,  blind  Pharisees,  cleanse  first  the  inside, 

And  the  outside  will  be  clean  also. 

Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites. 

For  you  are  like  whitened  sepulchers. 
Which  outwardly  appear  beautiful  unto  men, 

But  within  are  full  of  dead  men's  bones ; 
Even  so  you  outwardly  appear  righteous  unto  men, 

But  inwardly  are  full  of  hypocrisy  and  iniquity. 

*  Note  13.  220 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XXIII 

(Matt.  23:  16-22,  24.) 

You  blind  guides  who  say,  "It  is  nothing  to  swear  by 

the  Temple; 
But  whosoever  swears  by  the  gold  of  the  Temple  is 
bound," 
You  fools  and  blind,  which  is  the  greater, 
The  gold  or  the  Temple  that  sanctifies  the  gold? 

"Whosoever  shall  swear  by  the  altar,  it  is  nothing; 

But  he  is  bound  who  swears  by  the  gift  upon  the  altar." 
You  blind!    Which  is  the  greater, 
The  gift  or  the  altar  that  sanctifies  the  gift? 

Verily,  he  who  swears  by  the  altar. 

Swears  by  it  and  by  all  things  thereon; 
And  he  who  swears  by  the  temple, 
Swears  by  it  and  by  Him  who  dwells  therein. 

And  he  who  swears  by  Heaven, 

Swears  by  the  throne  of  God  and  Him  who  sits  thereon; 

You  blind  guides,  you  strain  out  of  the  gnat, 

But  swallow  the  camel. 


221 


n 

The  Book  of  Parables 
I 

(Matt.  13: 5-8.     Mark  4: 3-8.     Luke  8: 5-8.) 

Behold  a  sower  went  forth  to  sow, 

And  as  he  sowed  some  fell  by  the  wayside. 

And  the  birds  came  and  devoured  them. 

And  others  fell  upon  the  rocky  places. 
And  straightway  they  sprang  up. 
Because  they  had  no  deepness  of  earth. 

And  because  they  had  no  root. 

When  the  sun  was  risen,  they  were  scorched. 

And  they  withered  away. 

And  others  fell  among  thorns. 

And  the  thorns  grew  up  and  choked  them. 

And  they  became  unfruitful. 

Others  fell  upon  the  good  ground. 
And  yielded  fruit  a  hundredfold. 
Some  sixty  and  some  thirtyfold. 


222 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


II 

(Matt.  18: 12.  13.     Luke  15:  4-6.) 

What  man  of  you  having  a  hundred  sheep. 

And  having  lost  one  of  them. 
Does  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine 

In  the  wilderness, 
And  go  after  that  which  is  lost. 

Until  he  find  it. 

And  when  at  last  he  has  found  it. 
He  lays  it  on  his  shoulders  rejoicing; 

And  when  he  comes  home, 

He  calls  together  his  neighbors, 

Saying  to  them,  "Rejoice  with  me. 
For  I  have  found  my  sheep." 

So  there  shall  be  joy  in  heaven. 

Over  one  sinner  who  repents. 
More  than  over  ninety  and  nine, 

Who  need  no  repentance. 


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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


III* 

(Luke  13:  6-9.) 

A  certain  man  had  a  fig-tree, 
Planted  in  his  vineyard; 

And  he  came  seeking  fruit, 

And  found  none  thereon. 

And  he  said  to  the  vine-dresser, 

"Lo!  these  many  years  I  come  seeking  fruit, 

And  I  find  none  upon  this  tree; 

Why  does  it  cumber  the  ground?" 

And  he  answered,  "  Sir,  leave  it  another  year, 
Till  I  shall  dig  about  it  and  dung  it; 

And  if  it  bear  fruit  thenceforth — well; 

But  if  not,  you  shall  cut  it  down." 


*Note  12. 

224 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


IV 

(Luke  13:  25-27.) 

When  the  Master  of  the  house, 
Has  risen  up  and  closed  the  door. 

Then  shall  you  be  left  standing  without. 

Then  shall  you  knock  and  say,  "Lord,  open 

to  us!" 
And  He  shall  answer  and  say  to  you, 
"I  know  you  not,  whence  you  are." 

Then  shall  you  begin  to  say, 
"  We  did  eat  and  drink  in  Your  presence, 
And  You  taught  in  our  streets." 

And  He  from  within  shall  say, 
"Verily,  I  know  not  whence  you  are; 

Depart  from  Me  you  workers  of  iniquity ! " 


15  225 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


y  * 

(Luke  18: 10-14.) 

Two  men  went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray. 
The  one  a  Pharisee,  the  other  a  publican. 

The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with  himself: 
"God,  I  thank  Thee  that  I  am  not  as  other  men. 

Extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers. 
Nor  even  as  this  publican; 

I  fast  twice  in  the  week, 

I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I  possess." 

But  the  publican,  standing  afar  off, 

Would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  to  heaven. 
But  smote  upon  his  breast  and  said, 

"God,  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner." 
This  man  went  down  to  his  house,  justified. 

Rather  than  the  other. 


•Note  12. 

226 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


VI 

(Luke  14:  8-11.) 

When  you  are  bidden  to  a  marriage  feast, 

Sit  not  down  in  the  chief  seat; 
Lest  perhaps  a  more  honorable  man  be  bidden, 

And  he  that  bade  yourself  and  him  shall  come, 
And  say  to  you,  "Give  this  man  place." 

Then  with  shame  shall  you  take  the  lowest  place. 

But  when  you  are  bidden  to  a  feast, 

Go  and  sit  in  the  lowest  place; 
Then  when  he  who  has  bidden  you  comes. 

He  shall  say,  "Friend,  go  up  higher." 
Then  shall  you  have  glory 

Before  all  who  sit  at  meat  with  you. 

Every  one  who  exalts  himself  shall  be  humbled; 
And  he  who  humbles  himself  shall  be  exalted. 


227 


DID  JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


VII 

(Luke  17: 7-10.) 

What  man  is  there  who  has  a  servant, 

That  is  plowing  or  keeping  sheep, 
That  will  say  to  him, 
When  he  is  come  in  from  the  field, 
"  Come  straightway  and  sit  down  to  meat?  " 

Will  he  not  rather  say  to  him, 
"Make  ready  wherewith  I^may  sup; 

And  gird  yourself  and  serve  me, 

Till  I  have  eaten  and  drunken; 

And  then  shall  you  eat  and  drink." 

Does  he  thank  that  servant 

Because  he  does  these  things? 

So  when  you  have  done  what  is  commanded, 
You  also  say,  "We  are  unprofitable  servants; 
We  have  but  done  that  which  is  our  duty." 


228 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


VIII 

(Luke  18:  2-5.) 

There  was  a  judge  in  a  certain  city. 
Who  feared  not  God  nor  regarded  man; 
And  there  was  a  widow  in  that  city. 
Who  came  to  him,  saying, 
"Avenge  me  of  my  adversary." 

And  for  awhile  he  would  not; 

But  afterwards  he  said  within  himself, 

"  Because  this  widow  troubles  me, 

I  will  avenge  her. 

Lest  she  wear  me  out  by  her  coming." 

Hear  what  the  unjust  judge  says! 

And  shall  not  God  avenge  His  own  elect? 
They  cry  to  Him  day  and  night. 
And  He  is  long-suffering  over  them; 
I  tell  you  He  will  avenge  them  speedily. 


229 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


IX 

(Luke  11:5-8.) 

Which  of  you  shall  go  to  a  friend  at  midnight, 
And  say  to  him,  "Friend,  lend  me  three  loaves. 
For  a  friend  of  mine  is  come  to  me  from  a  journey. 
And  I  have  nothing  to  set  before  him." 

And  he  from  within  shall  answer  and  say, 
"Trouble  me  not;  the  door  is  now  shut, 

And  my  children  are  with  me  in  bed; 

I  can  not  rise  and  give  you." 

Though  he  will  not  rise  and  give  him. 
Because  he  is  his  friend, 

Yet  because  of  his  importunity. 

He  will  arise  and  give  him  as  many  as  he  needs. 


230 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


X 

(Luke  12: 16-20.) 

The  ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  produced  plentifully. 
And  he  reasoned  within  himself,  saying,  "What  shall 

I  do? 
Because  I  have  not  where  to  bestow  my  fruits." 

And  he  said,  "  This  will  I  do : 

I  will  pull  down  my  barns  and  build  greater; 

And  there  will  I  bestow  all  my  goods  and  my  corn." 

"And  I  will  say  to  my  soul, 

*Soul,  you  have  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years. 

Take  your  ease;  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry.'  " 

But  God  said  unto  him,  "O  foolish  one! 
This  night  is  your  soul  required  of  you; 
And    the    things    you    have    prepared,    whose    shall 
they  be?" 


231 


DID  JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XI 

(Luke  14:  28-33.) 

Which  of  you  desiring  to  build  a  tower. 

Does  not  first  sit  down  and  count  the  cost, 

Whether  he  have  wherewith  to  complete  it? 

Lest  having  laid  the  foundation  and  is  not  able 
to  finish, 

All  that  behold  begin  to  mock  him,  saying, 

"This  man  began  to  build,  and  could  not  finish.'* 

What  king,  as  he  goes  to  encounter  another  in  war. 
Does  not  first  sit  down  and  take  counsel. 

Whether  he  be  able  with  ten  thousand, 

To  meet  him  who  comes  against  him  with  twenty? 

Or  else,  while  the  other  is  a  great  way  oflP, 

He  sends  an  embassage  and  desires  conditions  of 
peace. 


33S 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XII 

(Matt.  13:24-30.) 

A  man  sowed  good  seed  in  his  field; 
But  while  men  slept  an  enemy  came 
And  sowed  tares  among  the  wheat. 

When  the  blade   sprang  up, 
And  brought  forth  fruit. 
Then  appeared  the  tares  as  well. 

His  servants  came  and  said  to  him, 

"Did  you  not  sow  good  seed, 

Whence  then  are  there  tares  in  the  field? 

He  answered,  "An  enemy  has  done  this,'* 
And  the  servants  said  to  the  Householder, 
"Will  you  not  that  we  gather  them  up?" 

He  said,  "Nay,  lest  while  you  gather  up  the 

tares. 
You  root  up  the  wheat  as  well; 
Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest; 

Then  will  I   say  to  the  reapers.  Gather  up 

first  the  tares, 
And  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them. 
But  gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn." 


233 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XIII 

(Matt.  18:23-34.) 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  likened  unto  a  certain  King, 
Who  would  make  a  reckoning  with  his  servants. 


When  he  began  to  reckon,  one  was  brought 

to  him 
Who  owed  him  ten  thousand  talents, 
But  had  naught  wherewith  to  pay. 

The  king  commanded  him  to  be  sold, 
And  his  wife  and  his  children, 
And  payment  to  be  made. 

The  servant  fell  down  and  worshiped  him. 
Saying,  "Lord,  have  patience  with  me. 
And  I  will  pay  you  all." 

And  the  lord  of  that  servant. 
Being  moved  with  compassion,  released  him. 
And  forgave  him  that  debt. 


But  that  servant  went  out. 
And  found  one  of  his  fellow-servants. 
Who  owed  him  a  hundred  pence. 

And  he  laid  hands  on  him. 
And  took  him  by  the  throat, 
Saying,  "Pay  what  you  owe." 

234 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

His  fellow-servant  fell  down  and  besought  him. 
Saying,  "  Have  patience  with  me, 
And  I  will  pay  you  all." 

And  he  would  not  hear  him. 
But  cast  him  into  prison. 

Till  he  should  pay  what  was  due. 


His  fellow-servants  were  very  angry. 
When  they  saw  what  was  done, 
And  came  and  told  their  lord. 

Then  his  lord  called  unto  him  and  said, 
"  You  wicked  servant,  because  you  besought  me, 
I  forgave  you  that  debt. 

As  I  had  mercy  upon  you, 
Should  you  not  have  had  mercy 
Upon  your  fellow-servant?" 

And  his  lord  was  wroth, 
And  delivered  him  to  the  tormentors, 
Till  he  should  pay  all  that  was  due. 


235 


DID   JESUS   WHITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XIV 

(Luke  16: 19-31.) 

A  certain  rich  man  was  clothed 
With  linen  and  fine  purple, 

Faring  sumptuously  every  day. 

And  a  certain  beggar  named  Lazarus 

Was  laid  at  his  gate,  full  of  sores; 

And  desiring  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs 
Which  fell  from  the  rich  man's  table, 
Even  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores. 

But  it  came  to  pass  that  the  beggar  died, 
And  was  carried  by  the  angels  to  Abraham's 
bosom; 
And  the  rich  man  also  died  and  was  buried; 
And  in  Hades  he  lifted  up  his  eyes. 
And   saw   afar   oflf   Lazarus   in   Abraham's 
bosom. 

And  he  cried,  "  Father  Abraham ! 

Have  mercy  on  me  and  send  Lazarus, 
That  he  may  dip  his  finger  in  water. 
And  cool  the  tip  of  my  tongue, 
For  I  am  in  anguish  in  this  flame." 

And  Abraham  said,  "Son,  remember. 

You  in  your  lifetime  received  your  good  things. 

And  Lazarus  in  like  manner  his  evil  things; 

But  now  he  is  comforted, 

And  you  are  in  anguish. 

236 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

Besides  all  this,  between  us  and  you, 

There  is  a  great  gulf  fixed 
That  they  may  not  be  able. 
Who  would  pass  from  hence  to  you; 
And  none  may  pass  over  to  us." 

And  he  said,  "I  pray  you,  father. 

Send  him  to  my  father's  house; 
For  I  have  five  brethren, 
That  he  may  testify  to  them, 
Lest  they  come  also  to  this  place." 

But  he  said,  "They  have  Moses  and  the 

Prophets; 
Let  them  hear  them." 

But  he  answered,  "Nay,  Father  Abraham! 

But  if  one  goes  to  them  from  the  dead, 

They  will  repent." 

But  he  said,  "If  they  hear  not  them. 
Neither  will  they  be  persuaded, 
If  one  rise  from  the  dead." 


237 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XV 

(Luke  16: 1-8.) 

A  rich  man's  steward  was  accused  to  him 
That  he  was  wasting  his  goods; 

And  he  called  to  him  and  said, 

"What  is  this  that  I  hear  of  you? 

"Render  an  account  of  your  stewardship, 
For  you  can  no  longer  be  steward." 

And  the  steward  said  within  himself,  "What 
shall  I  do, 

Seeing  my  lord  takes  from  me  the  stewardship?" 

"I  have  not  strength  to  dig,  to  beg  I  am  ashamed; 

I  am  resolved  what  to  do: 

That  when  I  am  put  out  of  the  stewardship. 
They  may  receive  me  into  their  houses." 

And  calling  to  him  each  of  his  lord's  tenants. 
He  said  to  the  first,   "How  much  do  you  owe  my 
lord?" 
And  he  said,  "A  hundred  measures  of  oil." 
And  he  said  to  him,  "Take  your  lease  and  write 
fifty." 

Then  said  he  to  another,  "How  much  do  you  owe?" 
And  he  said,  "A  hundred  measures  of  wheat." 
And  he  said  to  him,  "Sit  down  quickly, 
And  take  your  lease  and  write  fourscore." 
238 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

And  his  lord  commended  the  unrighteous  steward, 
Because  he  had  done  wisely; 

For  the  sons  of  this  world,  for  their  generation 

Are  wiser  than  the  children  of  light. 

And  I  say  to  you,  make  to  yourselves  friends. 
By  means  of  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness. 

That  when  it  shall  fail, 

They  may  receive  you  into  eternal  tabernacles. 


239 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XVI 

(Matt.  20:1-16.) 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like 

Unto  a  man  that  is  a  householder, 
Who  went  early  in  the  morning, 

To  hire  laborers  into  his  vineyard; 
And  when  he  had  agreed  with  them  for  a  penny  a  day. 

He  sent  the  laborers  into  his  vineyard. 

And  he  went  out  about  the  third  hour, 

And  saw  others  standing  in  the  market  place  idle; 
And  he  said  to  them,  "  Go  you  also  into  the  vineyard. 

And  whatsoever  is  right,  I  will  give  you." 
Again,  about  the  sixth  and  ninth  hours, 

He  went  out  and  did  likewise. 

And  about  the  eleventh  hour  he  went  out. 

And  found  others  standing  idle, 
And  he  said  to  them,  "Why  do  you  stand  here  all 
day?" 

They  said  to  him,  "Because  no  man  has  hired  us." 
He  said  to  them,  "Go  you  also  to  the  vineyard;" 

And  they  went  their  way. 

And  when  the  even  was  come. 

The  lord  of  the  vineyard  said  to  his  steward, 
"Call  the  laborers  and  give  them  their  hire, 

Beginning  from  the  last  unto  the  first." 
And   when   they   came   who   were   hired   about   the 
eleventh  hour. 
They  received  every  man  a  penny. 
240 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

When  the  first  came,  they  expected  more; 

But  they  likewise  received  every  man  a  penny; 
And  they  murmured  against  the  householder, 

Saying,  "These  last  have  wrought  but  one  hour. 
And  you  have  made  them  equal  unto  us, 

Who  have  borne  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day." 

But  he  answered,  "Friend,  I  did  you  no  wrong; 

Did  you  not  agree  with  me  for  a  penny? 
Take  up  that  which  is  yours,  and  go  your  way; 

It  is  my  will  to  give  unto  this  last  as  unto  you. 
Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I  will  with  my  own? 

Or  is  your  eye  evil,  because  I  am  good?" 


16  241 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XVII 

(Mark  4:  26-29.) 

So  is  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

A  man  casts  seed  upon  the  earth, 
And  sleeps  and  rises  night  and  day; 
And  the  seed  springs  up  and  grows. 

The  earth  bears  fruit  of  itself — 
First  the  blade,  and  then  the  ear, 
And  then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear. 

But  when  the  fruit  is  ripe, 
Then  he  puts  forth  the  sickle, 
Because  the  harvest  is  come. 


242 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XVIII 

(Luke  15: 11-32.) 

The  Man  who  had  Two  Sons.* 
* 

The  Younger  Son  said  to  his  Father, 
"Father,  give  to  me  of  the  inheritance 
The  portion  which  falls  to  me." 

So  he  divided  to  him  his  living; 

And  not  long  after  he  gathered  all  together 

And  took  his  journey  into  a  far  country. 

And  there  he  wasted  his  substance; 

And  when  he  had  spent  all  in  riotous  living, 

There  arose  a  mighty  famine  in  that  land. 

And  he  began  to  be  in  want; 

And  went  and  joined  himself  to  a  citizen, 

Who  sent  him  to  his  fields  to  feed  swine. 

And  he  would  fain  have  been  filled 
With  the  husks  which  the  swine  ate; 
But  no  man  gave  unto  him. 

*     * 

But  when  he  came  to  himself,  he  said, 
How  many  hired  servants  of  my  father's 

Have  bread  enough  and  to  spare, 

And  I  perish  here  with  hunger. 

I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father, 

And  will  say  to  him,  "Father,  I  have  sinned 
Against  heaven  and  in  your  sight, 
I  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  your  son." 

♦Note  14. 

243 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

And  he  arose  and  came  to  his  father. 

But  while  he  was  yet  afar  off,  his  father  saw  hira. 
And  he  was  moved  with  compassion, 
And  ran  and  fell  on  his  neck  and  kissed  him. 


And  the  son  said  to  him,  "Father,  I  have  sinned 
Against  heaven  and  in  your  sight; 

I  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  your  son. 

Make  me  as  one  of  your  hired  servants." 

But  the  father  said  to  the  servants, 

"Bring  forth  quickly  the  best  robe  and  put  it  on 
him; 
Put  a  ring  on  his  hand  and  shoes  on  his  feet, 
And  bring  the  fatted  calf  and  kill  it." 


Now  the  elder  son  was  in  the  field; 

And  as  he  came  and  drew  nigh  to  the  house. 

He  heard  music  and  dancing. 

And  he  called  to  him  one  of  the  servants. 
And  inquired  what  these  things  might  be. 

And  he  said  to  him,  "Your  brother  is  come. 
And  your  father  has  killed  the  fatted  calf. 
Because  he  has  received  him  safe  and  sound." 

And  he  was  angry  and  would  not  go  in; 

And  his  father  came  out  and  entreated  him. 

244 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

But  he  answered  and  said  to  his  father, 

"  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I  serve  you, 

And  I  never  transgressed  a  commandment  of  yours; 
And  you  never  have  given  me  a  kid, 
That  I  make  merry  with  my  friends. 

But  when  this,  your  son,  is  come. 

Who  has  devoured  his  living  with  harlots. 

You  killed  for  him  the  fatted  calf." 

And  he  said  to  him,  "  Son,  you  are  ever  with  me; 

And  all  that  is  mine  is  yours. 

But  it  was  meet  to  make  merry  and  be  glad. 
For  this  your  brother  was  dead  and  is  alive; 
He  was  lost  and  is  found. 

Let  us  eat  and  make  merry." 

And  they  began  to  make  merry.  * 


♦Note  15. 

245 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XIX 

(Luke  10:30-35.) 

Going  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho, 
A  certain  man  fell  among  thieves, 

Who  stripped  him  and  beat  him. 

And  departed,  leaving  him  half  dead. 

By  chance  a  certain  Priest  was  going  down  that  way. 
And  when  he  saw  him,  he  passed  by  on  the  other  side; 
In  like  manner  also  a  Levite  came  where  he  was, 
And  when  he  saw  him,  passed  by  on  the  other  side. 

But  a  certain  Samaritan  as  he  journeyed, 
Came  where  he  was,  and  saw  him. 

And  he  was  moved  with  compassion 

And  came  and  took  care  of  him. 

And  he  bound  up  his  wounds. 
Pouring  on  them  oil  and  wine, 

And  set  him  on  his  own  beast 

And  brought  him  to  an  inn. 

On  the  morrow  he  took  out  two  pence. 

And  gave  them  to  the  host,  and  said, 

"Take  care  of  him,  and  when  I  come  again, 
I  will  repay  you  whatever  you  spend  more." 

Which  of  these  three,  do  you  think. 

Proved  neighbor  to  him  that  fell  among  thieves? 


246 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XX 

(Matt.  25:1-13.) 

Ten  Virgins  took  their  lamps 

And  went  forth  to  meet  the  Bridegroom; 

And  five  were  wise  and  five  were  foolish; 

For  the  foolish  took  their  lamps,  but  no  oil; 

But  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  vessels. 

Now  while  the  Bridegroom  tarried. 
They  all  slumbered  and  slept; 

But  at  midnight  there  was  a  cry, 

** Behold  the  Bridegroom  comes! 

Come  you  forth  to  meet  Him!" 

Then  all  those  Virgins  arose 
And  trimmed  their  lamps. 

And  the  foolish  said  to  the  wise, 

"  Give  us  of  your  oil. 

For  our  lamps  are  gone  out." 

But  the  wise  answered  them, 

"There  is  not  enough  for  both; 

Go  to  them  that  sell  and  buy  for  yourselves." 
And  while  they  went  away  to  buy. 
The  Bridegroom  came. 

They  that  were  ready  went  in  with  Him, 

And  the  door  was  shut. 

Afterwards  came  the  other  Virgins, 

Saying,  "Lord,  open  to  us!" 

But  He  answered,  "I  know  you  not." 


247 


DID  JESUS  WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XXI 

(Luke  14: 16-24.) 

A  certain  man  made  a  great  supper, 
And  sent  forth  Ids  servant  at  supper  time. 
To  say  to  them  that  were  bidden, 
"Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready." 

They  all  began  in  unison  to  make  excuse. 
The  first  said,  "I  have  bought  a  field, 

And  must  needs  go  to  see  it; 

I  pray  you  have  me  excused." 

Another  said,  "  I  have  bought  a  fine  yoke  of  oxen. 
And  must  needs  go  out  to  prove  them." 

Another  said,  "I  have  married  a  wife. 

And  therefore  I  can  not  come." 

The  servant  came  and  told  his  Lord  these  things; 
And  He  was  angry  and  said  to  His  servant, 
"Go  quickly  into  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the 

city, 
Bring  here  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the  blind, 
and  the  lame." 

The  servant  said,  "It  is  done  as  you  commanded. 
And  yet  there  is  room  at  the  feast." 
And  the  Lord  said  to  His  servant, 
"Go  into  the  highways  and  hedges. 

"Compel  them  to  come  in. 
That  my  house  may  be  filled; 

For  none  of  those  that  were  bidden 

Shall  taste  of  my  feast." 

248 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XXII 

(Matt  22:  2-14.) 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  likened  to  a  certain  king. 

Who  made  a  marriage  feast  for  his  son, 

And  sent  forth  his  servants  to  call  to  the  feast 
Those  who  were  bidden,  and  they  would  not  come. 

Again  he  sent  forth  other  servants,  saying, 
"Behold,  I  have  made  my  dinner  ready; 

My  oxen  and  my  fatlings  are  killed. 

Come  to  the  marriage  feast." 

But  they  made  light  of  it  and  went  their  ways. 
One  to  his  farm,  another  to  his  merchandise, 
And  the  rest  laid  hold  on  his  servants. 
And  entreated  them  shamefully  and  killed  them. 

But  the  king  was  wroth  and  sent  his  armies. 
And   destroyed    those    murderers    and    burned    their 
cities. 
Then  said  he  to   his   servants,   "The  wedding  is 

ready, 
But  those  who  were  bidden  were  not  worthy. 

Go  you,  therefore,  to  the  parting  of  the  highways. 
And  summon  to  the  feast  as  many  as  you  shall  find." 
And  those  servants  went  out  to  the  highways. 
And  gathered  together  both  bad  and  good. 

The  wedding  was  filled  with  guests; 

But  when  the  king  came  in  to  see  the  guests, 

He  saw  a  man  who  had  not  on  a  wedding  garment, 
And  he  said,  "Friend,  how  came  you  in  hither?" 
249 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

He  was  speechless,  and  the  king  said  to  his  servants, 
"Bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  cast  him  into  outer 
darkness ; 

There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth; 

For  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen." 


S50 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XXIII 

(Matt.  21:  33-39.     Mark  12:  1-9.     Luke  20:  9-16.) 

There  was  a  man  who  was  a  householder, 

Who  planted  a  vineyard  and  set  a  hedge  about  it, 

And  digged  a  pit  for  the  wine  press,  and  built  a  tower. 

He  let  it  out  to  husbandmen  and  went  to  another 

country; 
And   at  the  season   he   sent   to   the  husbandmen   a 

servant. 
That  they  should  give  him  of  the  fruits  of  the  vineyard. 

And  the  husbandmen  beat  him,  and  sent  him  away 

empty. 
And  he  sent  yet  another  servant,  and  him  also  they 

beat; 
And  they  handled  him  shamefully  and  sent  him  away 

empty. 

And  he  sent  yet  a  third,  and  they  cast  him  forth. 
And  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  said,  "What  shall  I  do?" 
"I  will  send  my  beloved  son;  it  may  be  they  will 
reverence  him." 

But  when  the  husbandmen  saw  him,  they  reasoned 

together : 
"This  is  the  heir;  let  us  kill  him,  that  the  inheritance 

may  be  ours." 
And  they  killed  him  and  cast  him  forth  out  of  the 

vineyard. 

What  then  will  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  do.f* 
He  will  come  and  destroy  those  husbandmen, 
And  will  give  the  vineyard  unto  others. 

251 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XXIV 

(Matt.  25:14-30.) 

A  man  going  into  a  far  country, 
Called  his  own  servants  together, 
And  delivered  to  them  his  goods. 

To  one  he  gave  five  talents. 
To  another  two,  to  another  one. 
To  each  according  to  his  abilities. 

And  when  he  had  gone  on  his  journey. 
He  that  had  received  the  five  talents, 
Straightway  went  and  traded  with  them. 

And  he  gained  other  five  talents. 
And  he  that  received  the  two  talents. 
In  like  manner  gained  other  two. 

But  he  that  received  the  one  talent. 
Went  away  and  digged  in  the  earth. 
And  hid  his  lord's  money. 

Now,  after  a  long  time. 

The  lord  of  those  servants  came, 

And  made  a  reckoning  with  them. 

He  that  received  the  five  talents  came, 
And  brought  other  five  talents,  saying, 
"Sir,  you  delivered  to  me  five  talents. 

Lo,  I  have  gained  other  five  talents." 
His  lord  said  unto  him,  "Well  done. 
You  good  and  faithful  servant 

252 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

You  have  been  faithful  in  a  few  things, 
I  will  set  you  over  many  things; 
Enter  into  the  joy  of  your  lord." 

And  he  that  received  the  two  talents  came. 
And  brought  other  two  talents,  saying, 
"Sir,  you  delivered  to  me  two  talents. 

Lo,  I  have  gained  other  two  talents." 
And  his  lord  said  unto  him,  "Well  done, 
You  good  and  faithful  servant!" 

And  he  also  that  received  the  one  talent. 
Came  and  said,  "Lord,  I  knew  thee, 
That  thou  art  a  hard  man. 

And  I  was  afraid  and  went  away. 
And  hid  your  talent  in  the  earth. 
Lo,  you  have  your  own!" 

But  his  lord  answered  and  said  to  him, 

"  Out  of  your  own  mouth  will  I  condemn  you, 

O  wicked  and  slothful  servant! 

You  knew  that  I  was  a  hard  man, 

Reaping  where  I  did  not  sow. 

And  gathering  where  I  have  not  scattered. 

You   ought   to   have   put   my   money  to   the 

bankers, 
And  at  my  coming  I  would  have  received 
My  own  again,  with  the  interest  thereon. 

Take,  therefore,  his  talent  from  him. 

And  cast  the  unprofitable  servant  into  outer 

darkness; 
There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

253 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XXV 

(Luke  19: 12-27.) 

A  certain  nobleman  went  into  a  far  country. 
To  receive  for  himself  a  kingdom  and  return. 

And  he  called  ten  servants  of  his. 

And  gave  them  ten  pounds, 

And  said,  "Trade  until  I  come." 

But  his  citizens  hated  him. 

And  sent  after  him  an  embassage,  saying, 

"  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us." 

It  came  to  pass  that  when  he  returned, 
After  having  received  the  kingdom. 

That  he  commanded  those  servants 

To  be  called  that  he  might  know 

What  they  had  gained  by  trading. 

The  first  came  before  him,  saying, 
"Sir,  your  pound  has  gained  ten  pounds  more." 
And  he  said  to  him,   "Well  done,  you  good 

servant. 
Because  you  have  been  found  faithful  in  a  very 

httle, 
Have  authority  over  ten  cities." 

And  the  second  came  to  him,  saying, 
"Your  pound,  sir,  has  made  five  pounds." 

He  said  to  him,  "Well  done,  you  good  servant; 

Because  you  have  been  faithful  in  a  very  little, 

Be  you  over  five  cities," 
254 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

But  another  said,  "Sir,  behold  your  pound, 
Which  I  have  kept  laid  up  in  a  napkin." 
And  he  said  to  them  that  stood  by, 
"Take  away  his  pound  from  him. 
And  give  to  him  that  has  ten  pounds." 

And  they  said  to  him,  "He  has  ten  pounds." 
But  he  said,  "Unto  every  one  that  has,  shall  be 
given. 

And  he  shall  have  abundance; 

But  from  him  that  has  not, 

Even  that  which  he  has  shall  be  taken  away." 

As  for  these,  my  enemies, 

Who  would  not  that  I  should  reign  over  them, 

Bring  hither  and  slay  before  me." 


255 


DID  JESUS  WRITE   HIS  OWN  GOSPEL 


XXVI 

(Matt.  S25: 31-46.) 

When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  His  glory. 

And  all  the  angels  with  Him, 

Then  shall  He  sit  upon  the  throne  of  His  glory. 

Before  Him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations, 

And  He  shall  separate  them  one  from  another. 

As  a  shepherd  separates  the  sheep  from  the  goats. 

And  He  shall  set  the  sheep  on  His  right, 

And  the  goats  upon  His  left  hand. 

Then  shall  the  King  say  to  those  on  His  right  hand: 

"Come,  you  blessed  of  My  Father, 
Inherit  the  Kingdom  prepared  for  you 
From  the  foundation  of  the  earth. 

For  I  was  an  hungered  and  you  gave  Me  meat; 
I  was  thirsty  and  you  gave  Me  drink; 
I  was  a  stranger  and  you  took  Me  in; 

I  was  naked  and  you  clothed  Me; 

I  was  sick  and  you  visited  Me; 

I  was  in  prison  and  you  came  to  Me." 

Then  shall  the  righteous  answer,  saying  to  Him, 
"  Lord,  when  saw  we  Thee  an  hungered  and  fed  Thee, 
Or  athirst  and  gave  Thee  drink? 
256 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

"And   when   saw   we   Thee   a   stranger   and   took 

Thee  in; 
Or  found  Thee  naked  and  clothed  Thee; 
And  when   saw  we  Thee  sick   and   in  prison  and 

came  to  Thee?" 

And  the  King  shall  answer  and  say  to  them : 
"  Inasmuch  as  you  did  it  unto  the  least  of  these, 
My  brethren,  you  did  it  unto  Me." 

Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  those  on  His  left  hand : 
"Depart  from  Me,  you  cursed,  into  the  eternal  fire, 
Prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels. 

For  I  was  an  hungered  and  you  gave  Me  no  meat; 
I  was  thirsty  and  you  gave  Me  no  drink; 
I  was  a  stranger  and  you  took  Me  not  in. 

I  was  naked  and  you  did  not  clothe  Me; 

I  was  sick  and  you  visited  Me  not; 

I  was  in  prison  and  you  did  not  come  to  Me." 

Then  shall  they  also  answer,  saying, 
"Lord,  when  saw  we  Thee  an  hungered. 
And  did  not  minister  unto  Thee?" 

Then  shall  He  answer  them,  saying, 

"  Inasmuch  as  you  did  it  not  unto  one  of  these  least. 

You  did  it  not  unto  Me." 

And  these  shall  go  away  unto  eternal  punishment. 
But  the  righteous  unto  life  eternal. 


17  257 


Ill 

The  Oracles  from  the  Fourth  Gospel 

I 

(John  3: 11-13,  17,  31-34.) 

We  speak  what  we  know, 
And  testify  what  we  have  seen. 
And  you  receive  not  our  witness. 
If  I  have  told  you  of  earthly  things  and  you  be- 
lieve not, 
How  shall  you  believe  if  I  tell  you  of  heavenly 
things? 

No  man  has  ascended  into  heaven. 

But  the  Son  of  man  has  come  down  from  heaven. 

For  God  sent  His  Son  into  the  world. 

Not  to  condemn  the  world, 

But  that  the  world  should  be  saved  through 
Him. 

He  that  comes  from  above  is  above  all; 

He  that  is  of  the  earth  speaks  the  things  of  the 
earth. 
He  that  comes  from  heaven  is  above  all; 
What  He  has  seen  and  heard,  He  testifies. 
But  no  man  receives  His  testimony. 

But  he  that  has  received  his  witness. 
Has  set  his  seal  that  God  is  true; 

For  He  whom  God  has  sent, 

Speaks  the  words  of  God, 

For  He  gives  not  His  Spirit  by  measure. 
258 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
II 

(John  3: 14-16,  18-20,  36.) 

As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness. 
Even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  Hfted  up, 

That  those  believing  in  Him  should  have  eter- 
nal life. 

For  God  so  loved  the  world. 

That  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son, 

That  no  one  believing  in  Him  should  perish. 

He  that  believes  on  Him  is  not  judged; 
But  he  that  believes  not,  has  been  judged  already, 
Because  he  has  not  believed  on  His  name. 

The  light  has  come  into  the  world, 
And  men  loved  darkness,  rather  than  light, 
Because  their  deeds  were  evil. 

For  every  one  that  does  evil,  hates  the  light; 
Neither  does  he  come  to  the  light, 
Lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved. 

But  he  that  does  the  truth,  comes  to  the  light, 
That  his  works  may  be  made  manifest. 
That  they  have  been  wrought  in  God. 

He  that  believes  on  the  Son,  has  eternal  life; 
He  that  believes  not,  shall  not  see  life. 
But  the  wrath  of  God  abides  on  him. 


259 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN    GOSPEL 


III 

(John  3:  35;  5:19-23,  25-29.) 

The  Father  loves  the  Son, 

And  has  given  all  things  into  His  hands 
The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  Himself, 

But  what  He  sees  the  Father  doing. 
Whatsoever  things  the  Father  does. 

These  the  Son  also  does  in  like  manner. 

The  Father  loves  the  Son, 

And  shows  Him  all  things  that  Himself  does; 
And  greater  things  than  these  will  He  show  Him, 

That  you  may  marvel. 
For   as   the   Father   raises   the   dead   and   gives 
them  life, 

Even  so  the  Son  gives  life  to  whom  He  will. 

The  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God, 

And  they  who  hearken  shall  live. 
For  as  the  Father  has  life  in  Himself,  * 

So  gave  He  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself; 
And  He  gave  Him  authority  to  execute  judgment. 

Because  He  is  the  Son  of  man. 

Marvel  not  at  this;  the  hour  comes, 

In  which  all  that  are  in  the  tombs  shall  hear 
His  voice. 
And  they  that  have  done  good  shall  come  forth 

Unto  the  resurrection  of  life. 
And  they  that  have  done  evil  shall  come  forth 
Unto  the  resurrection  of  judgment. 
260 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

The  Father  judges  no  man, 

But  has  given  all  judgment  unto  the  Son, 
That  all  may  honor  the  Son, 

Even  as  they  honor  the  Father. 
He  that  honors  not  the  Son, 

Honors  not  the  Father. 


261 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


IV 

(John  5:  31-38.) 

If  I  bear  witness  of  Myself,  My  witness  is  not  true; 
It  is  another  that  bears  witness  of  Me, 
And  I  know  that  His  testimony  is  true. 

You  sent  to  John,  and  he  has  witnessed  to  the 

truth ; 
But  the  witness  which  I  receive  is  not  from  man; 
Howbeit  I  say  these  things  that  you  may  be  saved. 

He  was  a  lamp  that  burns  and  shines, 

And  you  were  willing  to  rejoice  in  that  light; 

But  the  witness  I  have  is  greater  than  John. 

The  works  that  the  Father  has  given  Me  to  ac- 
complish, 

The  very  works  I  do,  bear  witness  of  Me; 

And  the  Father  who  sent  Me  has  borne  witness 
of  Me. 

You  have  neither  heard  His  voice  nor  seen  His 

form. 
Neither  have  you  His  word  abiding  in  you, 
For  whom  He  sent.  Him  you  believe  not. 


962 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
V 

(John  6: 39-47.) 

You  search  the  Scriptures,  for  you  think 
To  find  eternal  life  in  them; 

Yet  you  will  not  come  to  Me, 

That  you  may  have  life. 

Though  the  Scriptures  testify  of  Me, 
Yet  I  receive  no  glory  of  men; 

But  I  know  your  hearts. 

That  you  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you. 

I  am  come  in  My  Father's  name, 
And  you  receive  Me  not; 

If  another  shall  come  in  his  own  name. 

Him  you  will  receive. 

How  can  you  believe, 

Who  receive  glory  one  of  another, 

But  you  do  not  seek  the  glory, 

Which  comes  from  God  alone? 

Think  not  that  I  accuse  you  to  the  Father; 
There  is  one  that  accuses  you : 

Moses,  on  whom  you  have  set  your  hopes, 

For  he  it  is  who  wrote  of  Me. 

If  you  had  believed  Moses, 

You  would  also  believe  Me; 

But  if  you  believe  not  his  writing. 
How  shall  you  believe  My  word? 


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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


VI 

(John  6:37-40. 

All  that  the  Father  gives  Me  shall  come  to  Me, 
And  him  that  comes  to  Me, 
I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out. 

I  am  come  down  from  heaven. 
Not  to  do  My  own  will. 

But  to  do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Me. 

This  is  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Me, 
That  of  all  which  He  has  given  Me, 
I  should  lose  nothing. 

This  is  the  will  of  My  Father, 
That  every  one  who  believes  the  Son, 
Should  have  eternal  life. 

No  man  can  come  to  Me, 
Except  the  Father  draw  him, 

And  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day. 

Every  one  that  has  learned  from  the  Father 

comes  to  Me; 
For  no  man  has  seen  the  Father, 
Except  Him  that  comes  from  God. 


264 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


VII* 

(John  6:  48-51,  54-58.) 

I  am  the  bread  of  life; 
Your  fathers  ate  manna  in  the  wilderness  and  died. 

This  is  the  bread  which  came  down  out  of  heaven, 
That  a  man  may  eat  thereof  and  not  die. 

I  am  the  bread  of  life. 
If  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever; 

Yea,  and  the  bread  is  My  flesh. 
Which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world. 

He  that  eats  My  flesh  and  drinks  My  blood, 
Abides  in  Me  and  I  in  him. 

As  the  living  Father  has  sent  Me,  and  I  live 

because  of  the  Father, 
So  he  that  eats  Me,  shall  live  because  of  Me. 

This  is  the  bread  that  came  down  out  of  heaven, 
Not  as  your  fathers  did  eat  and  died; 

He  that  eats  this  bread  shall  live  forever. 
For  My  flesh  is  meat  indeed,   and   My  blood  is 
drink  indeed. 


*Note  16. 

m5 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


VIII 

(John  10: 1-5.) 

He  that  enters  not  by  the  door 
Into  the  fold  of  the  sheep, 

But  chmbeth  up  some  other  way. 
Is  a  thief  and  a  robber; 

But  he  that  enters  by  the  door. 
Is  the  shepherd  of  the  sheep. 

To  him  the  porter  opens. 

And  the  sheep  hear  his  voice; 

He  calls  his  own  sheep  by  name. 
And  leads  them  out. 

When  he  has  put  forth  all  his  own. 
He  goes  before  them. 

The  sheep  follow  him, 
For  they  know  his  voice. 

But  a  stranger  will  they  not  follow. 
But  will  flee  from  him, 

For  they  do  not  know 
The  voice  of  strangers. 


me 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
IX 

(John  10: 11-18,  27-29.) 

I  am  the  Good  Shepherd, 

Who  lays  down  His  life  for  the  sheep. 

He  that  is  an  hireling, 

And  does  not  own  the  sheep, 

Beholds  the  wolf  coming, 

And  leaves  the  sheep  and  flees; 

For  he  is  but  an  hireling. 

And  does  not  care  for  the  sheep. 

I  am  the  Good  Shepherd, 

And  I  lay  down  My  life  for  the  sheep; 
My  own  sheep  I  know. 

And  My  own  know  Me; 
Even  as  the  Father  knows  Me, 

And  I  know  the  Father. 

Other  sheep  I  have. 

Which  are  not  of  this  fold; 
Them  also  I  must  bring. 

And  they  shall  hear  My  voice; 
And  there  shall  be  one  fold 

And  one  Shepherd  for  all. 

Therefore  does  My  Father  love  Me, 
Because  I  lay  down  My  life, 

No  one  takes  it  from  Me, 
But  I  lay  it  down  of  Myself; 

I  have  power  to  lay  it  down, 
And  I  have  power  to  take  it  again. 

267 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


X 

(John  12:  24-26.) 

Except  a  grain  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die, 
It  abides  by  itself  alone; 

But  if  it  die,  it  bears  much  fruit. 

He  that  loves  his  life  shall  lose  it; 
He  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world, 
Shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal. 

If  any  man  serve  Me,  let  him  follow  Me, 
And  where  I  am,  there  shall  My  servant  be; 

If  any  man  serve  Me,  him  will  My  Father  honor. 


«6S 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XI 

(John  12:35.  36,46.) 

Yet  a  little  while  is  the  light  with  you; 
Walk  while  you  have  the  light. 
That  the  darkness  overtake  you  not; 

He  that  walks  in  darkness, 

Does  not  know  where  he  goes. 

While  you  have  the  light,  believe  on  the  light, 
That  you  may  become  sons  of  light; 
I  am  come  a  light  into  the  world, 

That  whosoever  believes  on  Me, 

May  not  abide  in  darkness. 


269 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XII 

(John  12:47-50.) 

If  any  man  hears  My  sayings. 
And  keeps  them  not, 
I  judge  him  not; 

For  I  came  not  to  judge  the  world. 

But  to  save  the  world. 

He  that  rejects  Me, 

And  receives  not  My  sayings, 

Has  one  that  judges  him; 

The  word  which  I  have  spoken, 
This  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day. 

For  I  have  not  spoken  of  Myself, 
But  the  Father  who  sent  Me, 
Has  given  Me  a  commandment, 

What  I  should  say, 

And  what  I  should  preach. 

And  I  know  His  commandment. 

That  it  is  life  eternal; 

The  things,  therefore,  that  I  speak. 
Even  as  the  Father  has  told  Me, 
So  I  declare  them. 


270 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XIII 

(John  13:34,  35;  14:21;  15:8-12.) 

A  new  commandment  I  give  to  you, 
That  you  love  one  another, 
As  I  have  loved  you. 

By  this  shall  all  men  know 
That  you  are  My  disciples. 
If  you  love  one  another. 

He  that  has  My  commandments. 
And  keeps  them, 
He  it  is  that  loves  Me. 

And  whosoever  loves  Me, 
Shall  be  loved  of  My  Father, 
And  I  will  manifest  Myself  to  him. 

Herein  is  My  Father  glorified, 
That  you  bear  much  fruit, 
So  shall  you  be  My  disciples. 

Even  as  the  Father  has  loved  Me, 
I  also  have  loved  you; 
Abide  you  in  My  love. 

These  things  have  I  spoken  to  you. 
That  My  joy  may  be  in  you. 
And  your  joy  may  be  full. 

This  is  My  commandment, 
That  you  love  one  another. 
Even  as  I  have  loved  you. 

271 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XIV 

(John  14: 1-3,  18,27;  16:33.) 

Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled; 

You  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  Me; 
In  My  Father's  house  are  many  mansions. 
If  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told  you. 

I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you. 

And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you, 

I  will  come  again  and  receive  you  to  Myself, 
That  where  I  am,  you  may  be  also. 

I  will  not  leave  you  desolate; 

Yet  a  little  while  and  I  come  to  you; 

The  world  beholds  Me  no  more,  but  you 
see  Me, 

Because  I  live,  you  shall  live  also. 

Peace  I  leave  with  you;  My  peace  I  give  to  you; 
Not  as  the  world  gives  do  I  give  to  you; 

Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled. 

Neither  let  it  be  afraid. 


272 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XV 

(John  14:10-14,16-20.) 

The  Father,  who  abides  in  Me,  does  His  works; 
Believe  Me  that  I  am  in  the  Father  and  He  in  Me, 
Or  else  believe  Me  for  the  very  work's  sake. 

He  that  believes  on  Me  shall  do  the  works  I  do; 
And  greater  works  than  these  shall  he  do, 
Because  I  go  to  the  Father. 

And  I  will  pray  the  Father, 

And  He  shall  give  to  you  another  Comforter, 

That  He  may  abide  with  you  forever. 

The  world  can  not  receive  the  Spirit  of  truth; 
For  it  beholds  Him  not,  neither  knows  Him; 
But  you  know  Him,  for  He  abides  in  you. 

In  that  day  you  shall  know 
That  I  am  in  the  Father, 
And  you  in  Me  and  I  in  you. 


18  273 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XVI 

(John  15:1-8,  10,  16.) 

I  am  the  true  vine, 

And  My  Father  is  the  husbandman. 

Every  branch  in  Me  that  bears  not  fruit. 

He  takes  away. 

He  purges  every  one  that  bears  fruit, 
That  it  may  bear  more  fruit; 

Now  you  are  purged  through  My  word. 

Which  I  have  spoken  unto  you. 

Abide  in  Me  and  I  in  you; 

As  the  branch  can  not  bear  fruit  of  itself. 

Except  it  abide  in  the  vine. 

So  neither  can  you  except  you  abide  in  Me. 

I  am  the  vine,  you  are  the  branches; 

He  that  abides  in  Me  and  I  in  him, 
He  it  is  that  bears  much  fruit. 
For  apart  from  Me  you  can  do  nothing. 

If  a  man  abide  not  in  Me, 

He  is  cast  forth  as  a  withered  branch; 

And  men  gather  them  and  cast  them  into  the 
fire. 

And  they  are  consumed. 

If  you  abide  in  Me, 

And  My  words  abide  in  you, 

You  shall  ask  whatsoever  you  will. 

And  it  shall  be  done  unto  you. 

274 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

If  you  keep  My  commandments, 
You  shall  abide  in  My  love; 

Even  as  I  have  kept  my  Father's  command- 
ments, 

And  abide  in  His  love. 

You  did  not  choose  Me, 

But  I  chose  you  and  appointed  you. 

That  you  should  go  and  bear  fruit 

And  that  your  fruit  should  abide. 


275 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XVII 

(John  15:13-15.) 

Greater  love  has  no  man 
Than  that  for  his  friends, 
A  man  lay  down  his  life. 

You  are  My  friends, 

If  you  do  the  things  which  I  command  you. 

And  have  love  one  to  another. 

No  longer  do  I  call  you  servants, 
For  the  servant  does  not  know 
What  his  lord  does. 

But  I  have  called  you  friends; 
For  all  things  that  I  have  heard, 
I  have  made  known  unto  you. 


276 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 


XVIII 

(John  15:18-24.) 

If  the  world  hate  you, 

You  know  it  hated  Me  before  you; 

If  you  were  of  the  world, 

The  world  would  love  its  own. 

But  you  are  not  of  the  world, 

But  I  choose  you  out  of  the  world; 
Therefore  the  world  hates  you — 
Remember  the  word  which  I  told  you. 

If  they  have  persecuted  Me, 
They  will  also  persecute  you; 

If  they  have  kept  My  word. 

They  will  keep  yours  also. 

But  these  things  will  they  do  to  you, 
Because  they  know  not  Him  that  sent  Me; 

Whosoever  hates  Me, 

Hates  My  Father  also. 

If  I  had  not  done  among  them 
Works  which  none  other  did. 

They  had  not  had  sin; 

But  now  have  they  seen  both  Me  and  My 
Father. 


277 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XIX 

(John  16:1-33;  14:25-31.) 

These  things  have  I  spoken  to  you, 
That  you  should  not  be  made  to  stumble; 
They  shall  expel  you  from  the  synagogues, 
Yea,  the  hour  comes  when  whosoever  kills  you 
Shall  think  that  he  offers  service  to  God. 

And  these  things  will  they  do  to  you, 

Because  they  have  known  neither  the  Father  nor 
Me; 
But  I  have  spoken  these  things  to  you. 
That  when  the  hour  is  come. 
You  may  remember  how  I  told  you. 

These  things  I  said  not  to  you  at  the  first. 

Because  I  was  with  you; 

But  now  I  go  to  Him  that  sent  Me, 
And  because  I  have  said  these  things, 
Sorrow  has  filled  your  heart. 

Nevertheless,  I  tell  you  the  truth. 

It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away; 

For  if  I  go  not  away. 

The  Comforter  will  not  come  to  you, 

But  if  I  go,  I  will  send  Him  to  you. 

He,  when  He  is  come,  will  convict  the  world, 
In  respect  of  sin,  of  righteousness  and  of  judgment; 
Of  sin,  because  they  believed  not  on  Me; 
Of  righteousness,  because  I  go  to  the  Father; 
Of  judgment,  because  the   prince  of  this  world 
has  been  judged. 

278 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

I  have  yet  many  things  to  say  to  you, 
But  you  can  not  bear  them  now; 

Howbeit  when  the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come, 

He  shall  guide  you  into  all  truth, 

For  He  shall  not  speak  of  Himself. 

He  shall  speak  the  things  that  He  shall  hear, 
And  He  shall  declare  the  things  to  be; 

He  shall  glorify  Me, 

For  He  shall  take  of  Mine, 

And  declare  it  unto  you. 

These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you. 
That  in  Me  you  shall  have  peace; 

In  the  world  you  shall  have  tribulation. 

But  be  of  good  cheer, 

I  have  overcome  the  world. 

These  things  have  I  spoken  to  you, 
While  yet  abiding  with  you; 

But  the  Comforter  shall  teach  you. 

And  bring  to  your  remembrance. 

All  things  that  I  said  to  you. 

If  you  loved  Me,  you  would  rejoice. 

Because  I  go  to  the  Father, 

For  My  Father  is  greater  than  I; 

Now  have  I  told  you  before  it  happened. 
That  when  it  has  happened,  you  may  believe. 

I  will  no  more  speak  much  with  you; 

For  the  prince  of  this  world  comes, 

And  has  nothing  in  Me; 

But  that  the  world  may  know  I  love  the  Father, 
As  the  Father  has  commanded,  even  so  I  do. 
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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 


XX 

(John  16:20-22.) 

You  shall  weep  and  lament. 

But  the  world  shall  rejoice; 
You  shall  be  sorrowful. 

But  your  sorrow  shall  become  joy. 

A  woman  in  travail  has  sorrow, 

But  when  she  is  delivered  of  the  child. 

She  remembers  no  more  the  anguish. 

For  joy  that  a  man  is  born  into  the  world. 

You  therefore  now  have  sorrow, 

But  I  will  see  you  again; 
And  your  hearts  shall  rejoice. 

And  your  joy  no  man  takes  from  you. 


280 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

^ 

XXI 

(John  17: 1-26.) 

Father,  the  hour  is  come !    Glorify  Thy  Son, 
That  Thy  Son  also  may  glorify  Thee ! 

Thou  hast  given  Me  authority  over  all  flesh, 

That  I  should  give  eternal  life. 

To  as  many  as  Thou  hast  given  Me. 

And  this  is  life  eternal. 

That  they  might  know  Thee, 

And  Him  whom  Thou  hast  sent. 

I  have  glorified  Thee  on  the  earth; 

Having  accomplished  the  work. 

Which  Thou  gavest  Me  to  do; 

And  now  glorify  Me  with  Thine  own  self. 
With  the  glory  which  I  had  with  Thee, 
Before  the  world  was. 

I  manifested  Thy  name  to  those 

Whom  Thou  gavest  Me  out  of  the  world; 

Thine  they  were  and  Thou  gavest  them  Me; 

They  have  kept  Thy  word, 

And  now  they  know  that  all  things  are  from 
Thee, 

Which  Thou  hast  given  Me. 

The  words  which  Thou  hast  given  Me, 

I  have  given  them. 

And  they  have  received  them; 

They  have  known  that  I  came  forth  from  Thee, 
And  have  believed  that  Thou  didst  send  Me, 
And  now  I  pray  for  them. 
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DID    JESUS    WRITE    HIS    OWN    GOSPEL 

I  pray  not  for  the  world, 

But  for  them  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me, 

For  they  are  Thine  as  well. 

All  things  that  are  Mine  are  Thine, 

And  all  that  is  Thine  is  Mine, 

And  I  am  glorified  in  them. 

I  am  no  more  in  the  world, 
But  these  are  in  the  world. 
And  I  am  coming  to  Thee; 

Holy  Father,  keep  them  in  Thy  name, 

Whom  Thou  hast  given  to  Me, 

That  they  may  be  one  as  we. 

While  I  was  with  them  I  kept  them; 
I  guarded  them  in  Thy  name. 
And  none  of  them  is  lost; 

These  things  I  speak  in  the  world, 

That  they  may  have  my  joy, 

Fulfilled  in  themselves. 

I  have  given  them  Thy  word. 

And  the  world  has  hated  them. 

But  do  not  take  them  from  the  world; 

Keep  them  from  the  evil  one, 

For  they  are  not  of  the  world. 

As  I  am  not  of  the  world. 

Sanctify  them  in  the  truth, 

For  as  Thou  didst  send  Me  into  the  world. 

So  I  have  sent  them  into  the  world; 
And  for  their  sake  I  sanctify  Myself, 
That  they  also  may  be  sanctified  in  the  truth. 
The  word  is  truth. 

282 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 

Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone; 
But  for  them  also  who  believe  on  Me 
Through  the  word  which  they  preach; 
That  they  all  may  be  one, 
Even  as  Thou  in  Me  and  I  in  Thee, 
That  they  all  may  be  in  us. 

I  have  given  them  the  glory, 
Which  Thou  hast  given  Me, 
That  they  may  be  one  as  we  are; 

That  the  world  may  know 

That  Thou  didst  send  Me  and  lovedst  them 

Even  as  Thou  lovedst  Me. 

Father,  those  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me, 
I  desire  that  where  I  am  they  may  be  also; 

That  they  may  behold  My  glory 

Which  Thou  hast  given  Me, 
For  Thou  lovedst  Me 
Before  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

O,  righteous  Father! 

The  world  knew  Thee  not,  but  I  knew  Thee; 

And   these    have    known   that   Thou   didst 
send  me. 

And  I  have  made  known  \o  them  Thy  name. 
That  the  love  wherewith  Thou  lovedst  Me, 
May  be  in  them,  and  I  in  them. 


283 


IV 

Poetic  Fragments 

I 

(Matt.  5:17,  18.) 

Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  Law  or  the 
Prophets; 

I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfill; 
Till  heaven  and  earth  pass  away. 
No  jot  nor  tittle  shall  pass  from  the  Law, 
Except  it  be  fulfilled. 

II 

(Matt.  5:19.) 

Whosoever  shall  break  the  least  commandment. 
And  shall  teach  men  so. 

He  shall  be  called  least  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven; 
But  whosoever  shall  do  and  teach  them, 
He  shall  be  called  great  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

Ill 

(Matt.  5:20.) 

Except  your  righteousness  shall  exceed. 

The  righteousness  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
You  shall  in  no  wise  enter  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 


284 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
IV 

(Matt.  5:23,  24.) 

If  you  are  offering  your  gift  at  the  altar, 

And  there  remember   that   your  brother  has  aught 

against  you, 
Leave  there  your  gift  before  the  altar  and  go  your 

way. 
First  be  reconciled  to  your  brother. 
And  then  come  and  offer  your  gift. 

V 

(Matt.  5:25,  26.) 

Agree  with  your  adversary  quickly, 

While  you  are  in  the  way  with  him; 
Lest  haply,  he  deliver  you  to  the  judge. 

And  the  judge  deliver  you  to  the  officer. 

And  the  officer  shall  cast  you  into  prison. 
You  shall  by  no  means  come  out  thence, 

Till  you  have  paid  the  uttermost  farthing. 

VI 

(Matt.  6: 14,  15.) 

If  you  forgive  men  their  trespasses. 

Your  Heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive  your  tres- 
passes; 
But  if  you  forgive  not  men  their  trespasses. 

Neither  will   your  Heavenly  Father  forgive  your 
trespasses. 


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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

VII 

(Matt.  6: 19-21.     Luke  12: 33,  34.) 

Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  on  earth, 

Where  moth  and  rust  corrupt, 

And  where  thieves  break  through  and  steal. 

But  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven. 

Where  neither  moth  nor  rust  corrupt. 

And  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal. 

For  where  your  treasure  is. 
There  will  your  heart  be  also. 

VIII 

(Matt.  6 :  22,  23.     Luke  1 1 :  34-36.) 

The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye; 
If,  therefore,  your  eye  be  single. 

Your  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light. 
But  if  your  eye  be  evil. 

Your  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  darkness. 
If,  therefore,  the  light  that  is  in  you  be  darkness, 

How  great  is  that  darkness. 

IX 

(M^tt.  6:  24.) 

No  man  can  serve  two  masters; 
For  either  he  will  love  the  one, 

And  hate  the  other; 
Or  else  he  will  cleave  to  the  one. 
And  despise  the  other. 
You  can  not  serve  God  and  Mammon. 


286 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
X 

(Matt.  7:6.) 

Give  not  that  which  is  holy  to  the  dogs; 
Neither  cast  you  your  pearls  before  swine, 

Lest  they  trample  them  under  foot. 

And  turn  and  rend  you. 

XI 

(Matt.  7:9-11.) 

If  any  man's  son  ask  bread. 

Will  he  give  him  a  stone? 
Or  if  he  ask  for  a  fish. 

Will  he  give  him  a  serpent? 

If  you,  being  evil,  know  how 

To  give  good  gifts  to  your  children. 

How  much  more  shall  your  Heavenly  Father 
Give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  Him. 

XII 

(Matt.  7: 13,  14.     Luke  13:  24.) 
Enter  in  at  the  straight  gate. 

For  wide  is  the  gate, 
And  broad  is  the  way. 
Which  lead  to  destruction. 
And  many  there  be  that  go  in  thereat. 

For  straight  is  the  gate, 
And  narrow  the  way, 
Which  leads  to  life, 
And  few  there  be  that  find  it. 

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DID  JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XIII 

(Matt.  7: 15.) 

Beware  of  false  prophets! 
Who  come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing. 
But  inwardly  are  ravening  wolves. 


XIV 

(Matt.  7:16-20.) 

By  their  fruits  shall  you  know  them. 
Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns 
Or  pluck  figs  of  thistles.? 

Every  good  tree  brings  forth  fruit; 

But  the  corrupt  tree  brings  forth  evil  fruit; 

A  good  tree  can  not  bring  forth  evil  fruit; 
Nor  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit. 

Every  tree  that  brings  not  forth  good  fruit, 
Is  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the  fire. 

By  their  fruits  shall  you  know  them. 


XV 

(Matt.  8: 11,  12.) 

Many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  the  west, 

And  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob; 

But  the  sons  of  the  Kingdom  shall  be  cast  forth 
into  the  outer  darkness; 

There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 


288 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XVI 

(Matt.  9: 12,  13.) 

They  that  are  whole 

Have  no  need  of  a  physician; 

But  they  that  are  sick; 

I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous. 

But  sinners  to  repentance. 

XVII 

(Matt.  9:15.) 

Can  the  sons  of  the  bridechamber  mourn, 
So  long  as  the  bridegroom  is  with  them.? 

But  the  days  will  come 

When  the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  away. 

And  then  shall  they  fast. 

XVIII 

(Matt.  9: 16.) 

On  an  old  garment,  no  man  puts 

A  piece  of  undressed  cloth; 

For  that  which  should  fill  it  up. 
Takes  away  from  the  garment. 
And  a  worse  rent  is  made. 

XIX 

(Matt.  9: 17.) 

Men  do  not  put  new  wine 
Into  old  wine  skins; 

Else  the  skins  burst. 
The  wine  is  spilled, 
And  the  skins  perish. 

But  they  put  new  wine 
Into  new  wine  skins. 
And  both  are  preserved. 
19  289 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XX 

(Matt.  9:37,  38.) 

The  harvest  is  plenteous, 

But  the  laborers  are  few. 

Pray  you  the  lord  of  the  harvest, 
That  he  send  laborers  into  his  harvest. 

XXI 

(Matt.  10:  16,  40,  41.) 

I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves; 
Be  wise  as  serpents,  and  as  harmless  as  doves. 

He  that  receives  you,  receives  Me; 

And  He  that  receives  Me  receives  Him  that  sent  Me. 

He  that  receives  a  prophet  in  the  name  of  a  prophet, 
Shall  receive  a  prophet's  reward; 

He  that  receives  a  righteous  man  in  the  name  of  a 
righteous  man, 

Shall  receive  a  righteous  man's  reward. 

XXII 

(Matt.  8:26,  27.) 

There  is  nothing  covered 

That  shall  not  be  revealed; 
And  nothing  is  hidden 

That  shall  not  be  made  known. 

What  is  told  in  the  darkness 

Shall  be  spoken  in  the  light; 
And  what  you  hear  in  the  ear 

Shall  be  proclaimed  from  the  housetops. 

290 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XXIII 

(Matt.  11:28-30.) 

Come  unto  Me  all  you  that  labor, 

And  to  the  heavy  laden  I  will  give  rest; 

Take  My  yoke  upon  you  and  learn  of  Me, 
For  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart; 

You  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls, 

For  My  yoke  is  easy  and  My  burden  is  light. 

XXIV 

(Matt.  12:11.) 

What  man  is  there  of  you  that  has  one  sheep. 
And  if  this  shall  fall  in  a  pit  on  the  Sabbath, 
Will  he  not  lay  hold  of  it  and  lift  it  out? 

XXV 

(Matt.  12:  30.) 

He  that  is  not  with  Me  is  against  Me; 

And  he  that  does  not  gather  with  Me,  scatters. 

XXVI 

(Matt.  12:  31,  32.) 

Every  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  men. 

But  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Whoever  speaks  against  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  for- 
given; 

But  whoever  speaks  against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not 
be  forgiven. 

Neither  in  this  life  nor  in  the  world  to  come. 


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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XXVII 

(Matt.  13:31,  32.) 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard 
seed. 

Which  a  man  took  and  sowed  in  his  field; 
Which  indeed  is  less  than  all  the  seeds, 

But  when  it  is  grown  it  becomes  a  tree, 
And  the  birds  of  the  heaven  come 

And  lodge  in  the  branches  thereof. 

XXVIII 

(Matt.  13:33.) 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  the  leaven, 

Which  a  woman  took 

And  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal, 

Till  all  was  leavened. 

XXIX 

(Matt.  13:44.) 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  treasure. 
Which  a  man  found  hidden  in  a  field; 

And  in  his  joy  he  goes 

And  sells  all  he  has. 

And  buys  that  field. 

XXX 

(Matt.  13:45.) 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  man, 
A  merchant  seeking  goodly  pearls; 

And  having  found  one  pearl  of  great  price. 

He  sold  all  that  he  had, 

And  went  and  bought  it. 

292 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XXXI 

(Matt.  13:46-49.) 

The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  net, 
That  was  cast  into  the  sea, 
And  gathered  of  every  kind. 

They  drew  it  up  on  the  beach, 
And  gathered  the  good  into  vessels. 
And  the  bad  they  cast  away. 

So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of  the  world; 

The  angels  shall  come  forth 

And  shall  sever  the  wicked  from  the  righteous. 

m 

XXXII 

(Matt.  13:41-43.) 

It  shall  come  to  pass  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
The  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  His  angels, 

And  shall  gather  out  of  His  Kingdom 

All  things  that  ofiFend. 

And  those  that  have  done  iniquity, 
They  shall  cast  into  the  furnace  of  fire; 

Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun 

In  the  Kingdom  of  their  Father. 

XXXIII 

(Matt.  13:52.) 

Every  scribe  who  is  a  disciple  to  the  Kingdom, 
Is  like  a  man  who  is  a  householder. 
Who  brings  forth  out  of  his  treasure 
Things  that  are  new  and  things  that  are  old. 

293 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 
XXXIV 

(Matt.  16:26.) 

What  shall  a  man  be  profited. 

If  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  soul.? 

Or  what  has  a  man  to  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul? 


XXXV 

(Matt.  16:27.) 

The  Son  of  man  shall  come 
In  the  glory  of  His  Father; 

Then  shall  He  render  to  every  man 
According  to  his  deeds. 


XXXVI 

(Matt.  17:20.) 

If  you  have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed. 
You  shall  say  to  this  mountain, 
"Remove  hence  to  yonder  place!" 
And  it  shall  temove. 

Nothing  shall  be  impossible  to  you. 


XXXVII 

(Matt.  18:  19,  20.) 

If  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth, 
As  touching  anything  that  they  shall  ask, 
It  shall  be  done  for  them  of  My  Father; 
For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered. 
There  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them. 

294 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XXXVIII 

(Matt.  19:23-26.) 

It  is  hard  for  a  rich  man 

To  enter  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

It  is  easier  for  a  camel 

To  go  through  a  needle's  eye 

Than  for  a  rich  man 

To  enter  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

With  men  it  is  impossible; 
With  God  all  things  are  possible. 

XXXIX 

(Matt.  19:14.) 

Suffer  the  little  children, 

And  forbid  them  not  to  come  to  Me, 

For  of  such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

XL 

(Matt.  21:28-31.) 

A  man  had  two  sons,  and  he  came  to  the  first 
And  said,  "Son,  go  work  to-day  in  the  vineyard." 

And  he  answered  him,  "I  will  not." 
But  afterwards  he  repented  and  went. 

And  he  came  to  the  second  and  said  the  same. 
He  answered,  "I  go,  sir,"  but  went  not. 

Which  of  the  two,  do  you  think, 
Did  the  will  of  his  father? 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

XLI 

(Matt,  22:  37-40.) 

Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
And  with  all  thy  soul,  and  all  thy  strength; 
This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment. 

And  the  second  is  like  unto  it: 
Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. 
On   these   commandments   hang   the    Law    and   the 
Prophets. 

XLII 

(Matt.  23: 10,  11.) 

Be  not  you  called  masters; 

For  one  is  your  Master,  the  Messiah; 

And  he  that  is  greatest  among  you. 

Shall  be  the  servant  of  all. 

XLIII 

(Matt.  12:34-37.) 

How  can  you,  being  evil,  speak  good  things? 
For  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth 
speaks. 

The  good  man,  out  of  his  good  treasure,  brings  forth 

good  gifts; 
The  evil  man,  out  of  his  evil  treasure,  brings  forth 

evil  gifts. 

For  every  idle  word  which  men  shall  speak. 

They  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in  the  judgment. 

For  by  your  words  shall  you  be  justified; 
And  by  your  words  shall  you  be  condemned. 


296 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XLIV 

(Matt.  12:41,42.) 

The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  stand  up  in  the  judgment. 

And  shall  condemn  this  generation; 

For  they  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonah, 
And  behold,  a  greater  than  Jonah  is  here. 

The  Queen  of  the  South  shall  rise  up  in  the  judgment 

And  shall  condemn  this  generation; 

For  she  came  from  the  ends  of  the  earth 

To  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon, 

And  behold,  a  greater  than  Solomon  is  here. 


XLV 

(Matt.  23:37-39.) 

Jerusalem!  Jerusalem!  which  kills  the  prophets. 

And  stones  them  who  are  sent  unto  her! 

How  often  would  I  have  gathered  your  children 
As  a  hen  gathers  her  chickens  under  her  wing. 

But  you  would  not. 

Lo,  your  house  is  left  to  you  desolate. 

You  shall  not  see  Me  henceforth  till  you  say, 

" Blessed  is  He  that  comes  in  the  name  of  the  Lord!" 


XLVI 

(Matt.  23:  29-32.) 

Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites! 
For  you  build  the  sepulchers  of  the  prophets, 
And  you  garnish  the  tombs  of  the  righteous. 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

And  you  say,  "If  we  had  been  in  the  days  of  our 

fathers, 
We  would  not  have  been  partakers  with  them 
In  the  blood  of  the  prophets." 

Wherefore  you  witness  to  yourselves 

That  you  are  the  sons  of  those  who  slew  the  prophets; 

Fill  you  up  the  measure  of  your  fathers. 


XLVII 

(Matt.  24:32-35.) 

Now  from  the  fig-tree  learn  her  parable; 
When  her  branch  is  become  tender, 
And  puts  forth  leaves. 
You  know  that  summer  is  nigh. 

Even  so,  when  you  see  these  things, 

You  know  that  He  is  nigh,  even  at  the  door. 

This  generation  shall  not  pass  away 

Till  all  these  things  be  accomplished. 

Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
But  my  words  shall  not  pass  away. 


XLVIII 

(Matt.  28:  19,  20.) 

All  power  in  heaven  and  earth  is  given  unto  Me. 

Go  you,  therefore,  and  make  disciples  of  all  nations. 
Teaching  them  to  observe  all  that  I  have  com- 
manded. 

And  lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 


298 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
XLIX 

(Mark  10:42-45.) 

The  rulers  of  the  Gentiles  lord  it  over  them; 
And  their  great  ones  exercise  authority; 
But  it  is  not  so  among  you. 

But  whosoever  would  be  great  among  you,  shall  be 

your  minister; 
And  whosoever  would  be  first  among  you,  shall  be 
the  servant  of  all; 
For  the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto. 
But  to  minister  and  to  give  His  life  a  ransom  for 
many. 

L 

(Luke  6:  39.) 

Can  the  blind  lead  the  blind.'' 

Shall  they  not  both  fall  into  the  pit? 

LI 

(Luke  9:  26.) 

Whoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  Me  and  My  words, 

Of  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed 

When  He  comes  in  His  glory  with  His  holy  angels. 

LII 

(Luke  9:  58.) 

The  foxes  have  holes, 

The  birds  of  the  air  have  nests. 

But  the  Son  of  man  has  no  place 

Whereon  to  lay  His  head. 


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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

LIII 

(Luke  10: 20.) 

Rejoice  not  that  spirits  are  subject  unto  you; 
But  rejoice  that  your  names  are  written  in  the  Book 
of  Life. 

LIV 

(Luke  12:  35-38.) 

Let  your  loins  be  girded  about. 

And  your  lamps  burning, 

And  you  yourselves  like  men  looking  for  their  Lord, 

When  He  shall  return  from  the  feast. 

Blessed  are  those  servants. 

If  He  shall  come  in  the  second  watch. 
Or  in  the  third  and  find  them  watching. 
That  when  He  comes  and  knocks. 
They  may  straightway  open  to  Him, 
Blessed  are  those  servants. 

Verily,  He  shall  gird  Himself, 
And  make  them  sit  down  to  meat. 
And  shall  come  and  serve  them, 
Blessed  are  those  servants, 
Whom  the  Lord  finds  watching. 


LV 

(Luke  12:39.) 

If  the  master  of  the  house  had  known 
In  what  hour  the  thief  would  come, 

He  would  have  watched  and  not  suffered 
His  house  to  be  broken  through. 

300 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
LVI 

(Luke  12:48.) 

To  whomsoever  much  is  given, 
Of  him  will  they  ask  the  more; 

And  to  whom  they  commit  much, 
Of  him  shall  much  be  required. 

LVII 

(Luke  12:  42-48.) 

Who  is  that  faithful  and  wise  steward, 
Whom  his  lord  shall  set  over  his  household. 
To  give  them  meat  in  due  season? 

If  his  lord,  when  he  returns, 
Shall  find  the  servant  so  doing, 
He  will  set  him  over  all  he  has. 

But  if  that  servant  shall  say  in  his  heart, 

"My  lord  delays  his  coming," 
And  shall  begin  to  beat  the  servants. 

And  to  eat  and  drink  and  be  drunken. 
The  lord  of  that  servant  shall  come 

In  a  day  and  an  hour  that  he  thinks  not. 
And  shall  cut  him  asunder. 

And  appoint  his  portion  with  the  unfaithful. 

The  servant  that  knew  his  lord's  will. 
And  made  not  ready  nor  obeyed  his  will. 
Shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes. 

But  the  servant  that  did  not  know  his  will, 
But  did  things  worthy  of  stripes, 
Shall  be  beaten  with  few  stripes. 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

LVIII 

(Luke  12:  54-56.) 

When  you  see  a  cloud  in  the  west. 
You  say,  "Straightway  there  comes  a  shower;" 
And  so  it  comes  to  pass. 

And  when  you  see  a  south  wind  blowing. 
You  say,  "There  will  be  a  scorching  heat;" 
And  presently  it  comes  about! 

O  hypocrites !  you  know  how  to  discern 
The  face  of  the  earth  and  the  sky, 

But  can  not  tell  the  signs  of  the  times. 

LIX 

(Luke  16: 15.) 

You  justify  yourselves  in  the  sight  of  men. 

But  God  knows  your  hearts; 
That  which  is  exalted  among  men, 

Is  an  abomination  with  God. 

LX 

(Luke  15:8-10.) 

What  woman  that  has  ten  pieces  of  silver, 
If  she  lose  but  one  of  them. 

Does  not  light  a  lamp, 

And  sweep  the  house. 

And  seek  diligently  till  she  find  it.'* 

And  when  she  has  found  it, 

She  calls  together  her  friends  and  neighbors. 

Saying,  "  Rejoice  with  me. 

For  I  have  found  the  piece 

Which  I  had  lost." 


302 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
LXI 

(Luke  16:10-12.) 

He  that  is  faithful  in  a  very  Uttle, 

Is  faithful  also  in  much; 
He  that  is  unrighteous  in  a  very  little, 

Is  unrighteous  also  in  much. 

If  you   have   not   been   faithful   in   the    unrighteous 
mammon, 

Who  will  commit  to  your  trust  the  true  riches.? 
If  you  have  not  been  faithful  in  that  which  is  another's, 

Who  will  give  you  that  which  is  your  own? 

LXII 

(Luke  17:  3,  4.) 

If  your  brother  sin,  rebuke  him; 

And  if  he  repent,  forgive  him; 

If  he  sin  against  you  seven  times  in  the  day. 
And  seven  times  turn  to  you  saying,  "I  repent," 
You  shall  forgive  him. 

LXIII 

(Luke  17:  20,  21.) 
The  Kingdom  of  God  comes  not  with  observation, 
Neither  shall  they  say,  "Lo,  here,"  or,  "There." 
The  Kingdom  of  God  is  within  you. 

LXIV 

(John  1:50,  51.) 

Greater  things  than  these  shall  you  see; 
For  you  shall  see  the  heavens  opened. 

And  behold  the  angels  of  God 

Ascending  and  descending  round  the  Son  of  man. 

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DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

LXV 

(John  3:  5-8.) 

Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  the  Spirit, 

He  can  not  enter  the  Kingdom  of  God; 
That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh. 
And  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit. 

Marvel  not  that  you  must  be  born  from  above; 
The  wind  blows  where  it  will  and  you  hear  the  sound 

thereof, 
But  you  can  not  tell  whence  it  comes,  nor  whither 
it  goes; 
So  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit. 


LXVI 

(John  4: 13,  14.) 

Whoever  drinks  of  this  water  shall  thirst  again; 
But  he  shall  never  thirst  who  drinks 
Of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him. 

But  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him, 
Shall  become  in  him  a  well  of  water. 
Springing  up  into  eternal  life. 

LXVII 

(John  4:23,  24.) 

The  true  worshipers  shall  worship  the  Father, 
For  the  Father  seeks  such  to  worship  Him; 
God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  who  worship  Him, 
Must  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

304 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
LXVIII 

(John  4:  35,  36.) 

Lift  your  eyes  and  behold  the  fields; 

They  are  white  already  unto  the  harvest. 
He  that  reaps  receives  wages, 
And  gathers  fruit  unto  life  eternal, 
That  sower  and  reaper  may  rejoice  together. 

LXIX 

(John  5:  30;  7:18.) 
I  can  of  my  own  self  do  nothing. 

As  I  hear,  I  judge,  and  my  judgment  is  righteous. 
Because  I  seek  not  my  own  will. 
But  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Me. 

He  that  speaks  from  himself,  seeks  his  own  glory; 
But  he  that  seeks  the  glory  of  Him  that  sent  him, 
Is  true,  and  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in  him. 

LXX 

(John  6:  27.) 

Work  not  for  the  food  which  perishes, 

But  for  the  food  which  endures  to  eternal  life, 

Which  the  Son  of  man  shall  give  you; 

For  Him  has  God  the  Father  sealed. 

LXXI 

(John  6:  63.) 

It  is  the  spirit  that  gives  life, 

The  flesh  profits  nothing; 

The  words  that  I  speak  to  you, 
They  are  spirit  and  are  life. 

20  305 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

LXXII 

(John  7:  6,  7.) 

My  time  is  not  yet  come, 

But  your  time  is  always  ready; 

The  world  can  not  hate  you, 
But  Me  it  hates. 

Because  I  testify  of  it. 
That  its  ways  are  evil. 


LXXIII 

(John  7:16,  17.) 

My  teaching  is  not  Mine, 
But  His  that  sent  Me. 

If  any  man  will  to  do  My  will. 
He  shall  know  the  teaching, 

Whether  it  be  of  God, 

Or  whether  I  speak  of  Myself. 


LXXIV 

(John  7:28,  29.) 

You  both  know  Me, 

And  you  know  whence  I  am. 

For  I  am  not  come  of  Myself; 
But  He  that  sent  Me  is  true. 

But  Him  you  do  not  know; 

But  I  know  Him, 
Because  I  am  from  Him, 
And  He  has  sent  Me. 

306 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
LXXV 

(John  7:33,  34.) 

Yet  a  little  while  I  am  with  you; 
Then  I  go  to  Him  that  sent  Me. 

You  shall  seek  Me  and  shall  not  find  Me; 

And  whither  I  go  you  can  not  come. 

LXXVI 

(John  8: 12.) 

I  am  the  light  of  the  world; 

He  that  follows  Me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness, 

But  shall  have  the  light  of  life. 

LXXVII 

(John  8:  14-18.) 

If  I  bear  witness  of  Myself,  My  witness  is  true; 

For  I  know  whence  I  came  and  whither  I  go; 

But  you  know  not  whence  I  came  nor  whither  I  go. 

You  judge  after  the  flesh,  but  I  judge  no  man. 
Yea,  and  if  I  judge,  My  judgment  is  true; 
For  I  am  not  alone,  but  the  Father  is  with  Me. 

It  is  written  that  the  witness  of  two  men  is  true; 

I  am  one  who  bears  witness  of  Myself, 

And  the  Father  who  sent  Me,  bears  His  witness. 

LXXVIII 

(John  8:  21-23.) 

I  go  away  and  you  shall  seek  Me; 
Whither  I  go  you  can  not  come; 

You  are  from  beneath,  I  am  from  above; 

You  are  of  this  world,  I  am  not  of  this  world. 


307 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 
LXXIX 

(John  8:  28,  29.) 

When  you  have  lifted  up  the  Son  of  man, 
Then  shall  you  know  that  I  do  nothing  of 

Myself, 
But  as  the  Father  has  taught  Me, 
I  speak  these  things. 

And  He  that  sent  Me  is  with  Me. 
The  Father  has  not  left  Me  alone. 
For  I  do  always  the  things 
That  are  pleasing  to  Him. 


LXXX 

(John  8:  34-36.) 

He  that  commits  sin  is  the  servant  of  sin, 
And  the  servant  does  not  dwell  in  the  house; 

But  the  Son  abides  forever; 

Therefore,  if  the  Son  shall  make  you  free, 

You  shall  be  free  indeed. 


LXXXI 

(John  8:  42-47.) 

If  God  were  your  Father,  you  would  love  Me; 
For  I  came  forth  and  am  come  from  God; 
Neither  have  I  come  of  Myself,  but  He  sent  Me. 

Why  do  you  not  understand  My  speech.'' 

Because  you  can  not  hear  My  word; 

For  he  that  is  of  God,  hears  the  word  of  God. 

308 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
LXXXII 

(John  9:  39.) 

For  judgment  have  I  come  into  this  world, 
That  they  that  see  not,  may  see. 
And  they  who  see  may  become  blind. 

LXXXIII 

(John  10:  27-29.) 

My  sheep  hear  My  voice; 

I  know  them  and  they  follow  Me; 
I  give  to  them  eternal  life. 

And  they  shall  never  perish. 

My  Father  gave  them  to  Me, 
And  He  is  greater  than  all; 

No  one  is  able  to  snatch  them 
From  My  Father's  hand. 

LXXXIV 

(John  10:37,  38.) 

If  I  do  not  the  works  of  My  Father,  believe 
Me  not; 

But  if  I  do  them,  at  least  believe  the  works, 
That  you  may  know  the  Father  is  in  Me, 
And  understand  that  I  am  in  the  Father. 

LXXXV 

(John  11:9,  10.) 

If  a  man  walk  in  the  day,  he  stumbles  not, 
Because  he  sees  the  light  of  this  world; 

But  if  he  walk  in  the  night,  he  stumbles, 
Because  the  light  is  not  in  him. 

309 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 
LXXXVI 

(John  6: 24;  11:S86,  26.) 

He  that  hears  My  word  and  believes  Him  that  sent 

Me, 
Has  eternal  life  and  comes  not  into  judgment, 
But  is  passed  from  death  unto  life. 

I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life; 

He  that  believes  on  Me,  though  he  die,  shall  live; 

And  he  that  lives  and  believes  on  Me  shall  never  die. 


LXXXVII 

(John  12:  31,  32.) 

Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world, 

Now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out; 

And  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth, 

I  will  draw  all  men  to  Me. 


LXXXVIII 

(John  14:6,  7.) 

I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life; 
No  man  comes  to  the  Father  but  by  Me. 

If  you  had  known  Me,  you  would  have  known  My 

Father  also; 
And  from  henceforth  yoii  have  known  Him  and 
have  seen  Him. 


310 


THE  POEMS  OF  JESUS 
LXXXIX 

(John  16:27,  28.) 

The  Father  Himself  loves  you, 
Because  you  have  loved  Me; 

And  you  have  believed 

That  I  came  forth  from  the  Father. 

I  came  out  from  the  Father, 
And  am  come  into  the  world; 

Again  I  leave  the  world 
And  go  to  the  Father. 


XC 

(John  18:36.) 

My  Kingdom  is  not  of  this  world; 
If  My  Kingdom  were  of  this  world. 

Then  would  My  servants  fight; 
But  now  is  My  Kingdom  not  from  thence. 


XCI 

(John  18:37.) 

To  this  end  have  I  been  born. 
For  this  am  I  come  into  the  world. 

That  I  should  bear  witness  to  the  truth. 

Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth  hears  My  voice. 


311 


Part  Three 
THE  HYPOTHESIS 

I.  The  Context  of  the  Johannine  Oracles. 

II.  The  Jerusalem  Gospel. 

III.  Theory  of  Gospel  Origins. 

IV.  The  Argument  in  Outline. 


The   Context   of   the   Johannine   Oracles 

Using  the  severe  test  of  Hebrew  Parallelism  as 
a  critical  instrument,  the  Fourth  Gospel  has 
revealed  unsuspected  similarity  to  the  other 
Gospels.  The  so-called  Discourses  have  been 
analyzed  and  found  to  consist  in  reality  of  poet- 
ical Logia  of  the  same  general  character  as  the 
Logia  preserved  in  the  Synoptics.  There  is 
indeed  a  marked  difference  in  respect  of  theme; 
but  this  leads  to  subjective  criticism,  a  land  of 
dangerous  pitfalls,  where  bias  is  prone  to  illusion. 
Keeping  to  the  safer  realm  of  literary  analysis, 
it  is  difficult  to  discriminate  between  the 
method  used  in  the  Johannine  Logia  and  that 
used  in  the  construction  of  the  Logia  in  the 
other  Gospels.  This  essential  similarity  has 
the  highest  critical  value. 

The  chief  factors  in  discriminating  these 
poetic  forms  have  been  the  thought-rhythm 
and  the  stanza  formation.  These  methods 
have  enabled  the  determination  of  the  length 
of  particular  Logia.  Occasionally  marked  dif- 
ference in  theme  has  justified  the  presentation 
of  passages  as  separate  Logia  even  when  the 

315 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

same  stanza  structure  was  used  in  both.  In 
point  of  fact  it  is  altogether  natural  that  oc- 
casionally the  same  form  should  have  been  used 
in  Logia  which  have  ultimately  come  into  juxta- 
position. 

It  remains  now  to  test  the  relation  of  these 
discriminated  Logia  to  the  text  of  the  Johan- 
nine  narrative.  The  hypothesis  of  a  combina- 
tion and  fusion  of  what  were  originally  separate 
productions  is  quite  natural.  There  are  three 
general  suggestions  to  this  effect — first,  the 
age  custom  of  building  books  by  such  processes; 
second,  the  particular  evidence  that  the  Logia 
preserved  by  Matthew  were  so  combined  with 
a  prose  narrative;  and  third,  the  Gospel  of  John 
has  already  yielded  evidences  of  combination 
and  interpolation  in  the  matter  of  incidents 
and  memorabilia.  The  hypothesis  of  inter- 
polated Logia  but  carries  the  process  a  step 
further. 

The  hypothetical  Logia  have  already  been 
presented;  such  anticipation  of  the  process  of 
discrimination  and  isolation  as  now  confronts 
us  was  justified  more  by  reasons  of  an  artistic 
and  practical  nature  than  by  the  logic  of  the 
situation.  Though  the  present  inquiry  should 
have  preceded  the  formal  presentation,  it  may 
suffice  to  recognize  the  logic  of  the  relation  in 
this  special  confession  and  so  to  hold  it  in  mind. 

For  the  inquiry  now  proposed,  critical  canons 
316 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

already  used  are  serviceable.  An  interpolation 
inevitably  bursts  the  original  narrative  asunder 
and  leaves  certain  more  or  less  defined  sutures. 
The  presence  of  the  third  factor  of  interpolated 
incidents  complicates  the  problem,  especially 
when  incident  and  Logion  fall  into  the  same 
opening  of  the  ground  text.  But  when  allow- 
ance has  been  made  for  this  the  critical  value 
of  the  canon  is  still  great.  It  is  highly  probable 
that  in  the  case  of  interpolations  the  editorial 
process  will  leave  some  traces,  either  in  obvious 
reasons  for  placing  particular  passages  in  par- 
ticular places  or  in  smoothing  the  way  for  the 
insertion  or  in  drawing  inferences  therefrom. 
With  these  canons  in  mind  we  shall  examine 
the  relations  of  each  of  the  discriminated  Logia 
to  the  basal  text. 

I.     The  first  of  these  Logia,  beginning, 

"We  speak  what  we  know. 
And  testify  what  we  have  seen," 

is  set  in  a  complicated  situation.  There  are 
five  factors  in  the  problem,  and  allowance  must 
be  made  for  each  of  them: 

a.  There  is  first  the  relation  to  a  second 
Logion  which  is  commingled  with  it;  this  has, 
however,  so  definite  a  stanza  structure,  and  a 
theme  so  unified  and  so  clearly  presented, 
that  it  is  possible  to  trace  it  in  its  entirety,  and 
so  to  eliminate  its  influence. 

317 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

b.  The  beginning  of  the  third  Logion  is 
also  a  part  of  the  same  general  interpolation; 
but   the   strong   aflSnity   of   its   opening   lines, 

"The  Father  loves  the  Son, 
And  has  given  all  things  into  His  hand," 

with  the  Logia  passage  which,  though  separated 
by  pages  of  the  text  of  the  completed  Gospel,  is 
none  the  less  the  next  such  interpolation,  sug- 
gests the  elimination  of  this  factor. 

c.  The  first  Logion  as  discriminated  con- 
sists of  four  five-line  stanzas,  presenting 
the  theme,  "Testimony  Concerning  Heavenly 
Things."  It  is  bounded  on  the  one  side  by 
the  incident  of  Nicodemus,  which  is  the  last 
of  a  series  of  four  interpolated  memorabilia. 

d.  When  this  series  is  eliminated  and  the 
ground  text  reached,  it  is  found  that  the  next 
preceding  sentences  relate  the  commendation 
of  Jesus  by  John  the  Baptist  to  two  of  his 
disciples;  then  follows  an  interview.  Now,  in 
the  midst  of  the  Logia  passage  under  considera- 
tion, the  narrative  suddenly  resumes, 

"Now,  after  these  things  came  Jesus  and  His 
disciples  into  the  land  of  Judsea — " 

and  then  follows  the  contrasting  work  of  Jesus 
and  John,  with  John's  noble  testimony  to  the 
superiority  of  Jesus. 

e.  At  this  point  the  narrative  breaks  to 

318 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

receive  the  remainder  to  the  Logia  passage; 
but  following  this  the  story  takes  up  the  thread 
again : 

"When  the  Lord  knew  that  the  Pharisees  had 
heard  that  Jesus  was  making  more  disciples  than 
John—" 

It  is  evident  that  the  Logia  cumber  the  narra- 
tive, and  that  their  elimination,  together  with 
that  of  the  interpolated  incidents,  enables  the 
bringing  together  of  the  narrative  in  an  alto- 
gether satisfying  fashion.  And  this  impression 
is  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  the  general  sense 
of  the  interview  with  Nicodemus  affords  a  fine 
topical  reason  for  the  introduction  of  these 
Logia  at  this  point,  and  so  satisfies  the  canon  of 
a  revealed  editorial  process. 

II.  The  problem  of  the  second  Logion  is 
now  made  comparatively  simple,  since  it  is 
commingled  with  the  first  in  a  fusion  that  must 
have  antedated  the  final  redaction,  the  same 
description  applies  here.  The  combined  Logia 
passage  was  treated  as  a  unit.  It  is,  however, 
worth  noting  that  in  the  fusion  of  the  Logia  a 
fragment  of  the  third  Logion  was  also  involved. 
This  suggests  that  we  are  in  reality  dealing  with 
a  manuscript  series  of  Logia  which  had  had  its 
own  history  of  combination  and  development. 
In  such  a  manuscript  the  second  Logion  would 
have  been  the  interpolated  passage,  and  hence 

319 


DID    JESUS    WRITE   HIS   OWN    GOSPEL 

confused  with  both  the  adjoining  Logia  as  we 
now  find  it.  But  fortunately  its  three-line 
structure  sufiiciently  discriminates  it  from  the 
five-line  stanza  of  the  first  and  the  six-line  stanza 
of  the  third. 

III.  As  has  been  indicated,  the  third  Logion 
begins  in  immediate  sequence  to  the  first,  but 
after  two  lines  is  interrupted  by  the  concluding 
stanza  of  the  second  Logion;  but  the  theme  is 
later  taken  up  with  marked  resemblance: 

"The  Father  loves  the  Son, 

And  has  given  all  things  into  His  hand; 
The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  Himself, 

But  what  He  sees  the  Father  doing; 
Whatsoever  things  the  Father  does, 

These  also  the  Son  does  in  like  manner." 

But  between  the  second  and  third  lines  of  the 
above  stanza  lies  more  than  a  whole  chapter 
of  the  Gospel.  The  bulk  of  this,  however,  deals 
with  the  interpolated  incident  of  The  Woman 
of  Samaria  and  the  briefer  story  of  the  Healing 
of  the  Nobleman's  Son.  The  portion  of  the 
actual  ground  work  intervening  would  constitute 
about  two  columns  of  manuscript;  nor  is  it 
without  significance  that  the  remaining  portion 
of  the  Logion  is  inserted  where  the  narrative 
is  broken  by  a  notable  copyist's  error — an  entire 
page  of  the  original  narrative  being  trans- 
ferred to  a  later  position.  This  may  have  been 
done  in  copying,  or  quite  as  plausibly  the  manu- 

320 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

script  may  have  been  cut  to  allow  the  insertion 
of  new  data,  and  afterwards  the  sundered  por- 
tion placed  in  a  wrong  connection.  Since  the 
Logia  falls  in  this  opening,  the  argument  from 
the  sutures  demonstrates  it  to  be  an  inter- 
polation. 

IV.  In  the  same  gap  falls  the  fourth  Logion. 
It  is  discriminated  from  the  preceding  Logion 
by  a  change  of  person,  of  theme,  and  of  stanza 
structure.  A  distinction  in  two  of  these  factors, 
theme  and  structure,  serves  also  to  mark  it  off 
from  the  next  succeeding  Logion. 

V.  This  passage  is  separated  from  the 
fourth  as  indicated,  and  on  the  other  side  it  is 
succinctly  bounded  by  the  interpolated  incident 
of  The  Miracle  of  the  Loaves. 

VI.  The  recital  of  this  miracle  and  its 
associated  events  is  broken  by  the  sixth  Logion. 
The  gain  in  continuity  from  the  omission  of 
the  Logion  is  evident;  when  excised  the  passage 
reads : 

"They  said  therefore  to  Him,  'Lord,  evermore 
give  us  this  bread.'  Jesus  said  to  them,  'I  am 
the  bread  of  life.'  .  .  .  The  Jews,  therefore 
murmured  concerning  Him,  because  He  said, 
'I  am  the  bread  of  life.'  " 

We  may  surmise,  then,  that  the  account  of  the 
miracle  was  first  fused  with  the  narrative,  and 
that  this  Logion  belonging  to  the  Logia  manu- 
script came  into  its  present  place  when  that 
21  321 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

series  was  distributed  through  the  combined 
prose  record. 

VII.  In  contradistinction  to  this,  the  sev- 
enth Logion  appears  to  have  been  associated 
with  the  Story  of  the  Loaves  before  its  fusion 
with  the  narrative,  and  even  to  have  been  used 
in  the  construction  of  the  story,  so  intimately 
is  it  fused  therewith.  Its  marked  unity  of 
thought  and  a  certain  refrain  which  runs 
through  it  enables  its  reconstruction.  It  may 
have  been  used  in  connection  with  the  Love 
Feasts  of  the  Early  Church,  and  some  such 
connection  may  have  suggested  the  feasibility 
of  working  it  into  the  developed  incident.  It 
is  almost  certain  that  it  has  an  individual 
history,  antedating  the  writing  of  the  Incident 
and  apart  from  the  Logia  Manuscript.* 

VIII-IX.  The  same  gap  in  the  ground  work 
that  contains  the  Story  of  the  Healing  of  the 
Blind  Man  receives  also  several  Logia  frag- 
ments and  the  beautiful  Logia,  The  Sheepfold, 
and  the  Good  Shepherd.  In  particular  these 
Logia  are  introduced  by  the  formal  words, 
"Verily  I  say  unto  you."  This  marks  a  de- 
parture from  the  theme  that  precedes.  At  the 
close  of  the  second  Logion  the  narrative  re- 
sumes. The  continuity  of  this  narrative  with 
the  passage  before  the  interpolated  story  has 
already  been  shown.     Hence  we  are  under  the 

*  Note  16. 

322 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

necessity  of  regarding  these  poems  as  also 
interpolations.  The  stanza  construction  of  the 
Logia  is  similar;  but  they  are  sufficiently  dis- 
criminated from  each  other  by  a  change  of 
person,  of  figure,  and  by  a  couplet  which  serves 
as  an  introduction  to  the  second.  The  relation 
is  complicated  by  the  presence  of  Logia  frag- 
ments, which  may  be  portions  of  other  Logia 
related  in  theme,  or  possibly  interpretative 
comments.  The  confusion  must  have  developed 
in  the  Logia  manuscript  and  so  have  been 
transferred  to  its  present  place.  It  is  to  be 
noted  also  that  there  is  in  the  ground  work  an 
allusion  to  sheep  and  their  shepherd,  which 
gives  a  topical  reason  for  placing  these  beautiful 
poems  where  we  now  find  them. 

X.  The  tenth  Logion  is  also  set  in  an  in- 
terpolated incident,  but  the  sutures  on  either 
side  show  an  artificial  opening  of  the  passage  to 
receive  it.    This  is  apparent  on  presentation : 

"Jesus  said,  'The  hour  is  come  when  the  Son  of 
man  should  be  glorified.  .  .  .  Father, 
glorify  Thy  name.'  " 

The  theme  of  the  Logion  is  distinct  and  its 
structure  very  marked. 

XI.  The  theme  of  the  narrative  dealing 
with  the  blindness  of  the  Jews  in  rejecting 
Jesus  in  the  face  of  the  evidences  of  His  mi- 
raculous power,  leads  to  the  citation  of  the  Old 
Testament,  and  may  have  suggested  also  the 

323 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

insertion  of  the  little  Logion  concerning  the 
Light.  When  it  is  excised  the  narrative  gains 
in  force  and  directness. 

XII.  The  same  reasons  amply  justified  the 
insertions  of  the  twelfth  Logion  as  well. 

We  come  now  to  a  situation  of  considerable 
critical  difiiculty.  The  final  redactor  of  the 
Gospel  found  that  about  half  of  his  Logia  ma- 
terial was  undistributed;  on  the  other  there  was 
left  to  him  of  his  ground  work  but  a  single  epi- 
sode that  admitted  of  receiving  such  material. 
It  must  needs  be  placed  before  the  arrest  of 
Jesus,  for  that  event  marked  the  end  of  His 
teaching  function.  Under  these  circumstances 
the  mode  of  fusion  is  practically  reversed — it 
is  the  Logia  Manuscript  that  absorbs  the  narra- 
tive, with  such  facility  as  circumstances  permit. 
In  the  next  several  chapters  we  are  dealing 
with  the  Logia  as  basic.  But  the  problem  is 
complicated  by  the  fact  that  the  Logia  manu- 
script has  been  built  up;  accretions  and  in- 
sertions mar  its  original  simphcity.  But  by 
carefully  noting  the  structural  differences,  and 
by  allowing  for  the  change  of  theme,  it  be- 
comes possible  to  discriminate  the  several  Logia 
with  comparative  accuracy.  The  continuity 
of  the  narrative,  although  developed  by  con- 
versation and  using  several  Logia  fragments, 
helps  also  in  the  differentiation.  The  presenta- 
tion is  at  best  only  proximate. 

324 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

XIII.  This  Logion,  which  is  somewhat 
diffused,  is  restored  because  of  a  particular 
refrain  which  characterized  it.  It  uses  a  special 
three-line  stanza,  which  from  the  brevity  of 
the  lines  is  easily  recognized;  commonly  the 
tristich  is  built  of  long,  swinging  phrases. 

XIV.  The  first  two  stanzas  of  this  Logion 
are  distinguished  by  means  of  the  canon  of 
sutures : 

"Jesus  answered,  'Whither  I  go  you  can  not 
follow  Me  now.'  Peter  said,  'Lord,  why  can  not 
I  follow  You?'  Jesus  answered,  'You  shall 
follow  Me  afterwards;  and  whither  I  go,  you 
know  the  way.'  .  .  .  Thomas  said  to 
Him,  '  Lord,  we  know  not  whither  You  go,  how 
can  we  know  the  way?'  " 

After  the  first  stanzas  have  been  thus  de- 
termined, it  is  comparatively  easy  to  discrimi- 
nate the  balance  of  the  poem  because  of  its  kin- 
ship in  form,  theme,  and  its  use  of  a  certain 
refrain  that  makes  for  artistic  unity. 

XV.  The  fifteenth  Logion  is  largely  hypo- 
thetical; the  critical  problems  are  so  indetermi- 
nate that  its  form  is  merely  suggested. 

XVI.  This  Logion  follows  a  break  in  the 
narrative,  announces  a  new  theme,  and  uses 
a  highly-developed  figure,  treated  with  artistic 
values  that  make  its  discrimination  easy. 

XVII.  Changes  in  stanza  structure  and  in 
theme  from  the  distinct  Logion  preceding  enable 

325 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

the   differentiation   of   tMs  Logion   concerning 
Friendship. 

XVIII.  In  much  the  same  way  is  this 
passage  discriminated;  it  has  a  highly  char- 
acteristic stanza  structure  and  a  unity  of  theme. 

XIX.  The  material  of  this  Logion  is  scat- 
tered; its  form  is  somewhat  loose.  It  is  evi- 
dently not  a  part  of  the  original  Logia  manu- 
script, nor  yet  of  the  ground  work;  but  it  was 
probably  attached  to  this  latter  at  an  earlier 
period  than  the  final  redaction.  It  is  presented 
in  a  tentative  form. 

XX.  Artistic  beauty  of  figure  and  form 
sets  this  little  Logion  apart  and  identifies  it 
in  its  completeness. 

XXI.  The  final  Logion  has  a  stanza  form 
that  is  unique;  it  is  likewise  unique  in  its  theme, 
scope,  and  position;  it  appears  to  be  an  extended 
Valedictory,  which  is  set  at  the  close  of  the 
Logia  manuscript.  Its  historic  character  is 
attested  by  allusions  in  the  narrative  to  Logia 
passages  which  are  identifiable  with  this.  Thus 
in  the  incident  of  the  Voice  from  Heaven,  Jesus 
calls  out,  "Father,  save  Me  from  this  hour! 
But  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour; 
Father,  glorify  Thy  name."  The  resemblance 
to  the  first  lines  of  the  Logion  is  at  once  to  be 
noted : 

"Father,  the  hour  is  come;  glorify  Thy  Son, 
That  Thy  Son  also  may  glorify  Thee." 
326 


THE  H\TOTHESIS 

So  also  in  the  resurrection  narrative  occurs 
the  expression,  "Jesus  therefore  said  to  them, 
.  .  .  as  the  Father  has  sent  Me,  even  so 
have  I  sent  you.'"  This  is  the  counterpart  of 
the  expression  in  the  Logion: 

"Sanctify  them  in  the  truth; 

For  as  Thou  didst  send  Me  into  the  world, 

So  have  I  sent  them  into  the  world." 

From  these  passages  it  is  fair  to  assume  that 
the  Logion  had  its  separate  existence  and  was 
recognized  before  the  composition  of  the  ground 
work  of  the  Gospel.  Certain  errors  of  transcrip- 
tion make  the  work  of  restoration  of  form  some- 
what difficult  and  in  places  uncertain. 

It  is  fitting  now  to  consider  what  is  left 
of  the  Gospel  after  these  several  passages  have 
been  excised;  the.  portions  so  removed  by 
criticism  include  approximately  a  dozen  brief 
memorabilia,  half  as  many  elaborated  incidents, 
and  a  score  of  Logia  passages.  If  the  Gospel 
had  originally  possessed  a  high  fiterary  unity, 
such  mutilation  must  leave  it  in  fragmentary 
condition.  On  the  other  hand  if  we  are  dealing 
with  a  true  ground  work  into  which  passages 
have  come  by  successive  interpolation  after 
the  fashion  of  the  times,  then  the  excision  of 
such  passages  will  leave  a  narrative  of  greatly 
improved  unity  and  power,  with  uniform  liter- 
ary quality,  and  a  direct  and  vigorous  move- 

327 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

ment.      This  can  best  be  tested  by  presenta- 
tion. 

The  contents  of  the  narrative  so  presented 
will  be  found  to  have  a  certain  geographic 
unity.  We  have  already  suggested  the  existence 
of  a  "Capernaum  Document"  to  account  for 
certain  variations  in  the  Synoptic  Gospels;  so 
this  hypothetical  ground  work,  because  of  a 
similar  centering  of  the  events  which  it  records, 
may  be  styled  the  Jerusalem  Gospel.  The 
name  is  suggestive  and  argues  a  certain  reason- 
ableness in  the  theme,  and  perhaps  arouses 
anticipations.  Accordingly  there  is  next  pre- 
sented the  discriminated  text  of  the  Jerusalem 
Gospel. 


328 


n 

The  Jerusalem  Gospel 

I. — The  Witness  oj  John. 

There  was  a  man  sent  from  God,*  whose 
name  was  John;  he  came  for  a  witness  that  he 
might  bear  witness  of  the  Light,  that  all  might 
believe  through  him.  He  was  not  the  Light, 
but  came  that  he  should  bear  witness  of  the 
Light.  There  was  the  true  Light  which  lights 
every  man's  coming  into  the  world.  But  John 
bore  witness  of  Him,  and  cried,  saying, 

"  This  was  He  of  whom  I  said, 
He  that  comes  after  me 
Is  come  before  me, 
For  He  was  before  me." 

This  is  the  witness  of  John,  when  the  Jews 
sent  unto  him  priests  and  Levites  from  Jerusa- 
lem to  ask  him,  "Who  are  you?"  He  confessed 
and  denied  not;  he  confessed,  *'I  am  not  the 
Messiah."  And  they  asked  him,  "Who,  then? 
Are  you  Elijah?"  And  he  said,  "I  am  not." 
"Are  you  the  prophet?"  and  he  answered,  "No." 
They  said  therefore  unto  him:  "Who  are  you, 
that  we  may  give  an  answer  to  them  that  sent 
us?    What  do  you  say  of  yourself?"    He  said; 

"I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness, 
Make  straight  the  way  of  the  Lord." 

*Cf.  p.  377  8eq. 

329 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

And  they  had  been  sent  from  the  Pharisees. 
And  they  asked  him:  "Why  do  you  baptize, 
if  you  are  not  the  Messiah,  neither  Ehjah, 
neither  the  Prophet?"  John  answered  them, 
saying: 

"I  baptize  with  water. 
In  your  midst  stands  One  whom  you  know  not, 
Even  He  who  comes  after  me, 
The  latchet  of  whose  shoe 
I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose." 

These  things  were  done  in  Bethany,  beyond 
Jordan,  where  John  was  baptizing. 

On  the  morrow  he  saw  Jesus  coming  to  him, 
and  said: 

"Behold  the  Lamb  of  God, 
That  takes  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 

I  knew  Him  not;  but  that  He  should  be  made 
manifest  to  Israel,  for  this  cause  I  came  bap- 
tizing with  water."  And  John  bore  witness, 
saying:  "I  have  beheld  the  Spirit  descending  as 
a  dove  out  of  heaven;  and  it  abode  upon  Him. 
I  knew  Him  not;  but  He  that  sent  me  to  bap- 
tize in  water,  said  unto  me,  'Upon  whomsoever 
thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit  descending  and  abiding 
upon  Him,  He  it  is  that  baptizes  with  the  Holy 
Spirit.'  And  I  have  seen  and  borne  witness 
that  this  is  the  Son  of  God." 

Again  on  the  morrow,  John  and  two  of  his 
disciples  were  standing;  and  he  looked  upon  Jesus 
as  He  walked,  and  said,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of 
God!"  The  two  disciples  heard  him  speak 
and  they  followed  Jesus.  Jesus  turned  and 
beheld  them  following,  and  said  to  them,  "What 
do  you  seek.^"     They  said  to  Him,   "Rabbi, 

330 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

where  do  you  dwell?'*  He  said  to  them,  "Come 
and  see."  They  came  therefore  and  saw  where 
He  abode,  and  they  remained  with  Him  that 
day;  it  was  about  the  tenth  hour.  One  of  the 
two  that  heard  John,  and  followed  Him,  was 
Andrew,  Simon  Peter's  brother.  He  first  found 
his  own  brother  Simon,  and  said  to  him,  *'We 
have  found  the  Messiah!"  He  brought  him 
to  Jesus;  Jesus  looked  upon  him  and  said,  *' You 
are  Simon,  son  of  John;  you  shall  be  called 
Peter."* 

After  these  things  came  Jesus  and  His 
disciples  into  the  land  of  Judea;  and  there  He 
tarried  with  them  and  baptized.  John  also 
was  baptizing  in  iEnon,  near  to  Salim,  because 
there  was  much  water  there;  and  they  came 
and  were  baptized,  for  John  was  not  yet  cast 
into  prison.  There  arose  a  questioning  on  the 
part  of  John's  disciples  with  a  Jew  about  puri- 
fying. They  came  to  John,  and  said,  "Rabbi, 
He  who  was  with  you  beyond  the  Jordan,  to 
whom  you  have  borne  witness,  behold  He  bap- 
tizes and  all  men  come  to  Him."  John  an- 
swered: "A  man  can  receive  nothing,  except 
it  be  given  him  from  heaven.  You  yourselves 
bear  me  witness  that  I  said,  'I  am  not  the 
Messiah,  but  that  I  am  sent  before  Him.' 

"He  that  has  the  bride  is  the  Bridegroom, 
But  the  friend  of  the  Bridegroom  that  stands  and 

hears  Him, 
Rejoices  greatly  because  of  the  Bridegroom's  voice. 
This  my  joy  therefore  is  made  full; 
He  must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease."! 


*Cf.  p.  Ill  and  317  seq. 
tCf.  p.  179. 


831 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

II. — First  Conflict  with  the  Jews. — When  the 
Lord  knew  that  the  Pharisees  had  heard  that 
He  was  making  and  baptizing  more  disciples 
than  John  (though  Jesus  Himself  baptized  not, 
but  His  disciples),  He  left  Judea  and  departed 
again  into  Galilee;*  for  Jesus  Himself  testified 
that  a  prophet  has  no  honor  in  his  own  country. 
So  when  He  came  into  Galilee  the  Galileans 
received  Him,  having  seen  all  the  things  that 
He  did  in  Jerusalem  at  the  feast;  for  they  also 
went  up  to  the  feast.f 

After  these  things  there  was  a  feast  of  the 
Jews;  and  Jesus  went  up  to  Jerusalem.  Now 
there  is  in  Jerusalem,  by  the  sheep  gate,  a 
pool  which  is  called  Bethesda,  having  five 
porches.  In  these  lay  a  multitude  of  those 
who  were  sick,  blind,  halt,  withered.  A  certain 
man  was  there,  who  had  been  thirty-eight 
years  in  his  infirmity.  When  Jesus  saw  him 
lying,  and  knew  that  he  had  been  now  a  long 
time.  He  said  to  him,  "Would  you  be  made 
whole?"  The  sick  man  answered  Him,  "Sir, 
I  have  no  man,  when  the  water  is  troubled,  to 
put  me  into  the  pool;  but  while  I  am  coming 
another  steps  down  before  me."  Jesus  said  to 
him,  "Arise,  take  up  your  bed  and  walk."  And 
straightway  the  man  was  made  whole,  and  took 
up  his  bed  and  walked.  Now  it  was  the  Sabbath 
on  that  day.  So  the  Jews  said  unto  him  that 
was  cured,  "It  is  the  Sabbath,  and  it  is  not 
lawful  for  you  to  take  up  your  bed."  But  he 
answered  them,  "He  that  made  me  whole  said 
to  me,  'Take  up  your  bed  and  walk.'"  They 
asked  him,  "Who  is  the  man  that  said  to  you, 

*Cf.  p.  84seq.  fCf.  p.  115. 

332 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

*Take  up  and  walk?'"  But  he  that  was  healed 
knew  not  who  it  was;  for  Jesus  had  conveyed 
Himself  away;  a  multitude  being  in  that  place. 
Afterwards  Jesus  found  him  in  the  Temple, 
and  said  to  him,  "Behold  you  are  made  whole; 
sin  no  more,  lest  a  worse  thing  befall  you.'* 
The  man  went  away  and  told  the  Jews  that  it 
was  Jesus  who  had  made  him  whole. 

For  this  cause  the  Jews  persecuted  Jesus, 
because  He  did  these  things  on  the  Sabbath. 
But  Jesus  answered  them,  "My  Father  works 
even  until  now,  and  I  work."  Therefore  the 
Jews  sought  the  more  to  kill  Him,  because  He 
not  only  broke  the  Sabbath,  but  also  called 
God  His  own  Father,  making  Himself  equal 
with  God.    Jesus  therefore  answered:* 

"I  can  of  My  ownself  do  nothing. 
As  I  hear  I  judge,  and  My  judgment  is  righteous, 
Because  I  seek  not  My  own  will 
But  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Me. 

"He  that  speaks  from  himself,  seeks  his  own  glory; 
But  he  that  seeks  the  glory  of  Him  that  sent  Him, 
Is  true,  and  no  unrighteousness  is  in  Him.'* 

"Did  not  Moses  give  you  the  Law?  and  yet 
none  of  you  does  the  Law.  Why  do  you  seek 
to  kill  Me?"  The  multitude  answered,  "You 
have  a  demon!  Who  seeks  to  kill  You?"  Jesus 
answered:  "I  did  one  work,  and  you  all  marvel 
because  thereof.  Moses  has  given  you  circum- 
cision, and  on  the  Sabbath  you  circumcise  a 
man;  if  a  man  receive  circumcision  on  the 
Sabbath,  that  the  Law  of  Moses  be  not  broken, 

*Cf.p.  101.    Note  9. 

333 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

are  you  wroth  with  Me  because  I  made  a  man 
every  whit  whole  on  the  Sabbath? 

Judge  not  according  to  appearance. 
But  judge  righteous  judgment." 

Many  of  His  disciples  when  they  heard  this 
said,  "This  is  a  hard  saying;  who  can  hear  it?" 
But  Jesus  knowing  in  Himself  that  His  dis- 
ciples murmured  at  this,  said  to  them:  "Does 
this  cause  you  to  stumble?  What  then  if  you 
should  behold  the  Son  of  man  ascending  where 
He  was  before? 

It  is  the  spirit  that  quickens; 
The  flesh  profits  nothing; 

The  words  which  I  have  spoken  to  you, 

They  are  spirit  and  they  are  life. 

But  there  are  some  of  you  which  believe  not.* 
On  this  account  have  I  said  to  you. 

No  man  can  come  to  Me, 

Except  it  be  given  him  of  the  Father." 

Upon  this  many  of  His  disciples  went  back,  and 
walked  no  more  with  Him.  Jesus  said  there- 
fore unto  The  Twelve,  "Would  you  also  go 
away?"  Simon  Peter  answered  Him:  "Lord, 
to  whom  shall  we  go?  You  have  the  words  of 
eternal  life.  And  we  have  believed  and  know 
that  you  are  the  Holy  One  of  God."  Jesus 
answered  him,  "Did  not  I  choose  you  The 
Twelve;  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil." 

III. — Jesus  and  Public  Opinion. — After  these 
things  Jesus  walked  in  Galilee;  for  He  would 

*  Note  17. 

334 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

not  walk  in  Judaea,  because  the  Jews  sought 
to  kill  Him.  Now  the  Jews'  Feast  of  Taber- 
nacles was  at  hand.*  The  Jews  therefore  sought 
Him  at  the  Feast,  and  said,  ** Where  is  He?" 
And  there  was  much  murmuring  among  the 
multitudes  concerning  Him.  Some  said,  "He 
is  a  good  man."  Others  said,  "Not  so,  but  He 
leads  the  multitude  astray."  Yet  no  man 
spake  openly  of  Him,  for  fear  of  the  Jews.  But 
when  it  was  now  the  midst  of  the  Feast,  Jesus 
went  up  into  the  Temple  and  taught.  The 
Jews  therefore  marveled,  saying,  "How  does 
this  man  know  letters,  having  never  learned."! 
Some  of  them  from  Jerusalem  said,  "Is  not  this 
He  whom  they  seek  to  kill.''  Lo,  He  speaks 
openly  and  they  say  nothing  to  Him.  Can 
it  be  that  the  rulers  know  that  this  is  the 
Messiah.'^"  Others  said,  "Howbeit,  we  know 
this  man  whence  He  is;  but  when  the  Messiah 
comes  no  one  knows  whence  He  is."  Jesus 
therefore  cried  in  the  Temple,  teaching  and 
saying: 

"You  both  know  Me,  and  know  whence  I  am; 
I  am  not  come  of  Myself; 

But  He  that  sent  Me  is  true,  whom  you  know  not. 
I  know  Hhn,  because  I  am  from  Him." 

They  sought  therefore  to  take  Him;  but  no 
man  laid  his  hand  on  Him  because  His  hour 
was  not  yet  come.  But  of  the  multitude  many 
believed  on  Him;  and  they  said,  "When  the 
Messiah  shall  come,  will  He  do  more  signs 
than  those  which  this  man  has  done.^^" 


*Cf.  p.  116. 

tCf.  pp.  185-191.     Note  18. 

335 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Now  on  the  last  great  day  of  the  Feast,* 
Jesus  stood  and  cried: 

"If  any  man  thirst. 
Let  him  come  to  Me  and  drink. 

From  within  him  that  believes  on  Me, 
Shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."  f 

Some  of  the  multitude  when  they  heard  these 
words,  said,  *'0f  a  truth  this  is  the  Prophet!" 
Others  said,  "This  is  the  Messiah!"  But  some 
said,  "What?  Does  the  Messiah  come  out  of 
Galilee?  Has  not  the  Scriptures  said  the 
Messiah  comes  of  the  seed  of  David,  and  from 
Bethlehem,  the  village  where  David  was?" 
So  there  arose  a  division  in  the  multitude  be- 
cause of  Him;  and  some  of  them  would  have 
taken  Him,  but  no  man  laid  hands  on  Him. 

The  Pharisees  heard  the  multitude  mur- 
muring these  things  concerning  Him,  and  the 
chief  priests  and  the  Pharisees  sent  officers  to 
take  Him.     Jesus  therefore  said: 

"Yet  a  little  while  am  I  with  you. 
And  I  go  to  Him  that  sent  Me. 

You  shall  seek  Me  and  shall  not  find  Me, 
And  where  I  am  you  can  not  come." 

The  Jews  therefore  said  among  themselves, 
"Whither  will  this  man  go  that  we  shall  not 
find  Him?  Will  He  go  to  the  Dispersion  among 
the  Greeks  and  teach  the  Greeks?  What  is 
this  saying  that  He  said: 

'You  shall  seek  Me  and  shall  not  find  Me, 
And  where  I  am  you  can  not  come — ' " 

The  officers  therefore  came  to  the  chief  priests 
and  Pharisees;  and  they  said  to  them,  "Why  did 

*  Note  19.  t  Editorial  comment  follows. 

336 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

you  not  bring  Him?"  The  oflScers  answered, 
*' Never  man  so  spake."  The  Pharisees  there- 
fore answered  them,  "Are  you  also  led  astray? 
Have  any  of  the  rulers  believed  on  Him,  or  of 
the  Pharisees?"  But  this  multitude  which  is 
ignorant  of  the  Law  is  accursed.  Nicodemus* 
said  unto  them,  "Does  our  law  judge  a  man, 
except  it  first  hear  from  himself,  and  know 
what  he  does?"  They  answered  him,  "Are 
you  also  of  Galilee?  Search  and  see  that  out 
of  Galilee  arises  no  prophet."  And  they  went 
every  man  to  his  own  house. 

IV. — The  Great  Controversy. — Jesus  went 
unto  the  Mount  of  Olives;  and  early  in  the 
morning  He  came  again  into  the  Temple  and 
all  the  people  came  unto  Him,  and  He  sat 
down  and  taught  them,  saying  if 

"I  am  the  Light  of  the  world. 
He  that  follows  Me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness, 
But  shall  have  the  light  of  life." 

The  Pharisees  therefore  said  unto  Him,  "You 
bear  witness  of  yourself;  your  witness  is  not 
true."  Jesus  answered:  "Even  if  I  bear  witness 
of  Myself,  My  witness  is  true ;  for  I  know  whence 
I  came  and  whither  I  go;  but  you  know  neither 
whence  I  came  nor  whither  I  go.  Ye  judge 
after  the  flesh;  I  judge  no  man.  Yea,  and  in 
your  law  it  is  written,  that  the  witness  of  two 
men  is  true. 

I  am  He  that  bears  witness  of  Myself; 
And  the  Father  who  sent  Me, 
Bears  witness  of  Me." 

*  Editorial  comment.  t  Cf .  p.  77. 

22  337 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

They  said  therefore  unto  Him,  "Where  is  your 
Father?"    Jesus  answered: 

"You  know  neither  Me  nor  My  Father; 
If  you  had  known  Me, 
You  would  know  My  Father  also."  * 

These  words  spake  He  in  the  treasury,  as  He 
taught  in  the  Temple;  and  no  man  took  Him, 
because  His  hour  was  not  yet  come. 
Again  He  said  to  them: 

"I  go  away  and  you  shall  seek  Me, 
And  should  you  die  in  your  sins, 
Whither  I  go,  you  can  not  come." 

The  Jews  said,  *'WiIl  He  kill  Himself,  that  He 
says,  'Whither  I  go  you  can  not  come?'"  And 
He  said  to  them: 

You  are  from  beneath, 
I  am  from  above; 
You  are  of  this  world, 
I  am  not  of  this  world. 

Therefore  I  said,  you  shall  die  in  your  sins;  for 
except  that  you  shall  believe  that  I  am  He, 
you  shall  die  in  your  sins."  They  said  there- 
fore to  Him,  "Who  are  you?"  Jesus  answered, 
*'Even  that  which  I  have  also  spoken  to  you 
from  the  beginning; 

I  have  many  things  to  speak  and  to  judge  concern- 
ing you. 
Howbeit  He  that  sent  Me  is  true, 

And  the  things  which  I  heard  from  Him, 

These  speak  I  unto  the  world." 

*Cf.  p.  311. 

338 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

They  did  not  perceive  that  He  spoke  to  them 
of  the  Father.     Jesus  therefore  said: 

"When  you  have  lifted  up  the  Son  of  man. 
Then  you  shall  know  that  I  am  He, 
And  that  I  do  nothing  of  Myself, 
But  as  the  Father  has  taught  Me,  I  speak. 

He  that  sent  Me  is  with  Me; 
He  has  not  left  Me  alone, 
For  I  do  always  the  things 
That  are  pleasing  to  Him." 

As  He  spoke  these  words,  many  believed  on 
Him.  Jesus  therefore  said  to  those  Jews  who 
had  believed  on  Him: 

"  If  you  abide  in  My  word, 
You  are  truly  My  disciples, 
And  you  shall  know  the  truth. 
And  the  truth  shall  make  you  free." 

They  answered  Him,  "We  are  Abraham's  seed, 
and  have  never  yet  been  in  bondage  to  any 
man;  how  do  you  say,  'You  shall  be  made  free? ' " 
Jesus  answered  them: 

"Every  one  that  sins  is  the  bondservant  of  sin; 
The  bondservant  abides  not  in  the  house; 
But  the  Son  abides  forever. 

If,  therefore,  the  Son  shall  make  you  free. 

You  shall  be  free  indeed." 

I  know  that  you  are  Abraham's  seed;  but  you 
seek  to  kill  Me,  because  My  word  has  not 
free  course  in  you. 

I  speak  the  things  which  I  have  seen  with  My  Father; 
You  also  do  the  things  which  you  heard  from  your 
father." 

339 


DID  JESUS  WRITE   HIS  OWN   GOSPEL 

They  answered  Him,  "Our  father  is  Abraham." 
Jesus  said  to  them:  "If  you  were  Abraham's 
children,  you  would  do  the  works  of  Abraham. 
But  now  you  seek  to  kill  Me,  a  man  that  has 
told  you  the  truth  which  I  heard  from  God; 
this  did  not  Abraham.  You  do  the  works  of 
your  father."  They  said  to  Him,  "We  were  not 
born  of  fornication;  we  have  one  Father, 
God."     Jesus  said  to  them: 

"If  God  were  your  Father,  you  would  love  Me, 
For  I  am  come  forth  and  am  come  from  God; 
Neither  have  I  come  of  Myself,  but  He  sent  Me. 

Why  do  you  not  understand  My  speech?  Even 
because  you  can  not  hear  My  word. 

You  are  of  your  father,  the  devil; 

And  the  lusts  of  your  father  it  is  your  will  to  do; 

He  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning. 

He  does  not  stand  in  the  truth,  for  there  is  no  truth 

in  him; 
When  he  speaks  a  lie,  he  speaks  of  his  own. 
For  he  is  a  liar  and  the  father  thereof. 

But  because  I  say  the  truth  you  do  not  believe 
Me;  which  of  you  convicts  Me  of  sin.'^  If  I 
say  the  truth,  why  do  you  not  believe  Me? 

He  that  is  of  God  hears  God's  words; 
This  is  the  reason  that  you  hear  them  not. 
Because  you  are  not  of  God." 

The  Jews  answered  Him,  "Say  we  not  well 
that  You  are  a  Samaritan  and  have  a  devil?" 
Jesus  answered:  "I  have  not  a  devil;  but  I 
honor  My  Father  and  you  dishonor  Me;  but  I 

340 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

do  not  seek  My  own  glory;  there  is  One  who 
seeks  and  judges.    Verily  I  say  to  you, 

"If  a  man  keep  My  word,  he  shall  never  see  death."* 

The  Jews  answered  Him,  "Now  we  know  You 
have  a  devil.  Abraham  died,  and  the  prophets; 
and  You  say, 

*If  a  man  keep   My  word,   he  shall   never  taste  of 
death.' 

Are  You  greater  than  our  Father  Abraham 
who  died,  and  the  prophets  died;  whom  do  You 
make  Yourself?"     Jesus  answered: 

"If  I  glorify  Myself,  My  glory  is  nothing. 
It  is  My  Father  that  glorifies  Me, 
Of  whom  you  say  that  He  is  your  God. 

And  you  have  not  known  Him,  but  I  know  Him ; 
and  if  I  should  say,  *I  know  Him  not,'  I  should 
be  like  unto  you,  a  liar;  but  I  know  Him  and 
keep  His  Word. 

Your  Father  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  My  day; 
He  saw  it  and  was  glad." 

The  Jews  therefore  said  unto  Him,  "You  are 
not  yet  fifty  years  old,  and  have  You  seen 
Abraham.'*"  Jesus  said  unto  them,  "Verily, 
verily  I  say  unto  you.  Before  Abraham  was, 
I  am  ..."  They  took  up  stones  to  cast 
at  Him;  but  Jesus  hid  Himself  and  went  out 
of  the  Temple,  going  through  the  midst  of  them, 
and  so  passed  by.f  There  arose  a  division  again 
among  the  Jews  because  of  these  words.  And 
many  of  them  said,  **He  has  a  devil  and  is  mad; 

•Cf.  p.  311.  t  Cf.  p.  90  seq.,  322. 

341 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

why  do  you  hear  Him?"  Others  said,  "These 
are  not  the  sayings  of  one  possessed  of  a  devil. 
Can  a  devil  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind?" 

V. — Jesus  Breaks  with  the  Jews. — It  was  the 
Feast  of  the  Dedication  at  Jerusalem;  and  it 
was  winter  and  Jesus  was  walking  in  the  Temple 
in  Solomon's  porch.  The  Jews  therefore  came 
round  about  Him,  and  said  to  Him,  "How 
long  do  You  hold  us  in  suspense?  If  You  are 
the  Messiah,  tell  us  plainly."  Jesus  answered, 
"I  told  you  and  you  believe  not;  the  works  which 
I  do  in  My  Father's  name  these  bear  witness 
of  Me;  but  you  believe  not  because  you  are 
not  of  My  sheep.*  I  and  the  Father  are  one." 
The  Jews  took  up  stones  again  to  stone  Him. 
Jesus  answered  them,  "Many  good  works  have 
I  showed  you  from  My  Father;  for  which  of 
these  works  do  you  stone  Me?"  The  Jews 
answered  Him,  "For  a  good  work  we  stone 
You  not;  but  for  blasphemy;  and  because  You, 
being  man,  make  Yourself  God."  Jesus  an- 
swered them:  "Is  it  not  written  in  your  Law, 
*I  said  ye  are  gods?'  If  He  called  them  gods 
unto  whom  the  Word  of  God  came,  say  you  of 
Him  whom  the  Father  sanctified  and  sent  into 
the  world,  *You  blaspheme,'  because  I  said,  I 
am  the  Son  of  God? 

If  I  do  not  the  works  of  My  Father,  believe  Me  not; 
But  if  I  do,  believe  the  works, 

That  you  may  know  that  the  Father  is  in  Me, 

And  I  am  in  the  Father." 

They  sought  again  to  take  Him;  but  He  went 
forth  out  of  their  hand.     And  He  went  away 

'=Cf.  p.  266  seq.,  322. 

342 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

again  beyond  Jordan  unto  the  place  where 
John  was  at  the  first  baptizing;  and  there  He 
abode.  Many  came  unto  Him  and  they  said, 
"John  indeed  did  no  sign;  but  all  things  that 
John  said  of  this  Man  were  true."  And  many 
beheved  on  Him  there.* 

Therefore  the  chief  priests  and  the  Phari- 
sees gathered  a  council,  and  said:  "What  do 
we?  For  this  man  does  many  signs;  if  we  let 
Him  thus  alone,  all  men  will  believe  on  Him; 
and  the  Romans  will  come  and  take  away 
both  our  place  and  nation."  But  a  certain  one 
of  them,  Caiaphas,  being  high  priest  that  year, 
said  to  them,  "You  know  nothing  at  all;  nor 
do  we  take  account  that  it  is  expedient  for  you 
that  one  man  should  die  for  the  people,  and  that 
the  whole  nation  perish  not."t  So  from  that 
day  forth  they  took  counsel  that  they  might 
put  Him  to  death. 

Jesus  therefore  walked  no  more  openly 
among  the  Jews,  but  departed  thence  into  the 
country  near  to  the  wilderness,  into  a  city 
called  Ephraim,  and  there  He  tarried  with  His 
disciples. 

Now  the  Passover  of  the  Jews  was  at  hand, 
and  many  went  up  to  Jerusalem  out  of  the 
country  before  the  Passover  to  purify  them- 
selves. They  sought  therefore  for  Jesus,  and 
spake  with  one  another  as  they  stood  in  the 
Temple,  "What  do  you  think?  That  He  will 
not  come  to  the  Feast?"  Now  the  chief 
priests  had  given  a  commandment,  that  if  any 
man  knew  where  He  was,  he  should  show  it, 

*  Cf .  p.  94  seq.  t  Editorial  comment  following. 

343 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

that  they  might  take  Him.  Jesus  then,  six  days 
before  the  Passover,  came  to  Bethany,  where 
Lazarus  was,  whom  Jesus  raised  from  the  dead.* 
The  common  people  heard  that  He  was  there, 
and  they  came,  not  for  Jesus'  sake  only,  but 
that  they  might  see  Lazarus  also.  But  the 
chief  priests  took  counsel  that  they  might 
put  Lazarus  to  death  also;  because  that  by 
reason  of  him,  many  of  the  Jews  went  away 
and  believed  on  Jesus. 

On  the  morrow  a  great  multitude  that  had 
come  to  the  Feast,  when  they  heard  that  Jesus 
was  coming  to  Jerusalem,  took  the  branches 
of  palm  trees  and  went  forth  to  meet  Him,  and 
cried  out,  "Hosanna!  Blessed  is  He  that 
comes  in  the  name  of  the  Lord !  Even  the  King 
of  Israel."  And  Jesus  having  found  a  young 
ass,  sat  thereon,  as  it  is  written: 

"Fear  not,  daughter  of  Zion; 
Behold  thy  King  comes, 
Sitting  on  an  ass's  colt."t 

The  Pharisees  therefore  said  among  them- 
selves, "Behold  how  you  prevail  nothing;  lo! 
the  world  is  gone  after  Him."|  But  though  He 
had  done  so  many  signs  before  them,  yet  they 
believed  not  on  Him.§  Nevertheless  even  of 
the  rulers,  many  believed  on  Him;  but  because 
of  the  Pharisees  they  did  not  confess,  lest  they 
should  be  put  out  of  the  synagogue;  for  they 
loved  the  glory  that  is  of  men  more  than  the 
glory  of  God.fl 

*Cf.  p.  118.  5  Cf.  p.  121.    Editorial  citation  follows. 

t  Editorial  comment  seq.       f  Cf.  pp.  271,  324. 
i  Cf.  p.  120. 

344 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

Y\,—The  Upper  Room.— Now,  before  the 
Feast  of  the  Passover,  when  His  hour  was 
come  that  He  should  depart  out  of  the  world 
to  the  Father,  having  loved  His  own  that  were 
in  the  world  He  loved  them  to  the  end,  and 
knowing  that  the  Father  had  given  all  thmgs 
to  His  hands,  and  that  He  came  forth  trom 
God  and  went  to  God,*  Jesus  said: 

"Now  is  the  Son  of  man  glorified, 
And  God  is  glorified  in  Him, 
And  straightway  will  He  glorify  Him. 

Little  children,  yet  a  little  while  am  I  with 
you.    You  shall  seek  Me,  and  as  I  said  to  the 

Jews, 

'  Whither  I  go  you  can  not  come, 

so  now  I  say  to  you."  Simon  Peter  said  to 
Him,  "Lord,  whither  do  You  go?  Jesus  an- 
swered, "Whither  I  go  you  can  not  follow  Me 
now."  Peter  said,  "Why  can  not  I /o  ow  You 
now^"  Jesus  answered,  "You  shall  toUow 
Me  afterwards.!  Whither  I  go,  you  know 
the  way."t  Thomas  said  to  Him,  Lord,  we 
know  not  whither  You  go,  how  can  we  know 
the  way?"     Jesus  said  to  him: 

"I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life; 
No  one  comes  to  the  Father  but  by  Me. 

If  you  had  known  Me,  you  would  have  known 

My  Father  also. 
From  hanceforth  you  know  Him  and  have  seen 

Him." 
Philip  said  to  Him,  "Lord,  show  us  the  Father 
and  it  suffices  us."    Jesus  said  to  Him:     Have 
I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  do  you  not 

*  Cf .  p.  121  seq.  t  Cf .  p.  102  seq.  t  Cf •  p.  273. 

345 


DID  JESUS   WRITE   HIS  OWN   GOSPEL 

know  Me,  Philip?  He  that  has  seen  Me  has 
seen  the  Father;  how  do  you  say,  'Show  us 
the  Father?'  Do  you  not  beUeve  that  I  am 
in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  Me? 

The  words  which  I  speak  to  you,  I  speak  not  from 

Myself, 
But  the  Father  abiding  in  Me  does  His  own  works. 
Believe  Me  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father 

in  Me, 
Or  else  believe  Me  for  the  very  work's  sake."* 

Jude  said  to  Him,  "What  is  come  to  pass  that 
You  will  manifest  Yourself  to  us  and  not  to 
the  world?"    Jesus  answered  and  said  to  him, 

A  little  while  and  you  behold  Me  no  more; 
Again  a  little  while  and  you  shall  see  Me." 

Some  of  the  disciples  therefore  said  one  to 
another,  "What  is  this  that  He  said  to  us, 

'A  little  while  and  you  behold  Me  no  more; 
And  again  a  little  while  and  you  shall  see  Me?' 

and, 

"Because  I  go  to  the  Father ?"t 

They  said,  therefore,  "We  know  not  what  He 
says.'*  Jesus  perceived  that  they  were  de- 
sirous to  ask  Him,  and  He  said  to  them:  "Do 
you  inquire  among  yourselves  concerning  this 
that  I  said?  These  things  have  I  spoken  to 
you  in  'dark  sayings;'  the  hour  comes  when  I 

*Cf.  pp.  274,  325. 

t  He  that  believes  on  Me  shall  do  the  works  I  do; 

And  greater  works  than  these  shall  he  do, 

Because  I  go  to  the  Father. 

346 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

shall  no  more  speak  to  you  in  riddles,  but  shall 
tell  you  plainly  of  the  Father.* 

The  Father  Himself  loves  you  because  you  have  loved 

Me; 
And  you  have  believed  that  I  came  forth  from  the 
Father. 
I  came  out  from  the  Father  and  am  come  into  the 

world; 
Again  I  leave  the  world  and  go  unto  the  Father." 

His  disciples  said:  *'Lo!  now  You  speak  plainly, 
and  do  not  speak  a  riddle.  Now  we  know  that 
You  know  all  things  and  do  not  need  to  ask 
any  man.  By  this  we  believe  that  You  came 
forth  from  God."  Jesus  said: 
"Do  you  now  believe.'^ 

Behold  the  hour  comes,  yea,  is  come, 

When  you  shall  be  scattered  every  man  to  his 

own. 
And  shall  leave  Me  alone; 

And  yet  I  am  not  alone, 

Because  the  Father  is  with  Me." 

When  Jesus  had  spoken  these  words,  He  went 
forth  with  His  disciples  over  the  brook  Kidron, 
where  was  a  garden,  into  which  He  entered, 
Himself  and  His  disciples. 

VII. — Condemnation  and  Death  oj  Jesus. — 
Now  Judas  also,  who  betrayed  Him,  knew  the 
place,  for  Jesus  ofttimes  resorted  thither  with 
His  disciples.  Judas  therefore  having  received 
the  band,  and  officers  from  the  chief  priests 
and  the  Pharisees,  came  thither  with  lanterns 
and    torches    and    weapons.      Jesus    therefore 

*Cf.  p.  275. 

347 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

knowing  all  things  that  were  coming  upon  Him, 
went  forth,  and  said  to  them,  "Whom  do  you 
seek?"  They  answered  Him,  "Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth." Jesus  said  to  them,  "I  am  He." 
Judas  also  who  betrayed  Him  was  standing 
with  them;  when  therefore  He  said  to  them, 
*'I  am  He,"  they  went  backward  and  fell  to 
the  ground.  Again  therefore  He  asked  them, 
*'Whom  do  you  seek.^"  And  they  said,  "Jesus 
of  Nazareth."  Jesus  answered,  "I  told  you  that 
I  am  He;  if  therefore  you  seek  Me,  let  these 
go  their  way."*  So  the  band  and  the  chief 
captain  and  the  officers  of  the  Jews  seized  Jesus 
and  bound  Him,  and  led  Him  to  Annas  first, 
for  he  was  father-in-law  to  Caiaphas,  who  was 
high  priest  that  year.  Annas  therefore  sent 
Him  bound  to  Caiaphas.  Now  Caiaphas  was 
he  that  gave  counsel  to  the  Jews,  that  it  was  ex- 
pedient that  one  man  should  die  for  the  people.f 
The  high  priest  therefore  asked  Jesus  of  His 
disciples,  and  of  His  teaching.  Jesus  answered 
him:  "I  have  spoken  openly  to  the  world.  I 
ever  taught  in  the  synagogues,  and  in  the 
Temple  where  all  the  Jews  come  together;  and 
in  secret  spake  I  nothing.  Why  do  you  ask 
Me.'*  ask  them  who  heard  Me  what  I  spoke 
to  them.  Behold  these  know  the  things  which 
I  said."  And  when  He  had  said  this,  one  of  the 
officers  standing  by  struck  Jesus  with  the  hand, 
saying,  "Do  You  answer  the  high  priest  so.?" 
Jesus  answered  him,  "If  I  have  spoken  evil 
bear  witness  to  the  evil;  but  if  well,  why  do 
you  smite  Me.f*" 

They    led    Jesus    therefore    from    Caiaphas 

*  Editorial  comment  omit.  t  Cf .  p.  104. 

348 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

into  the  Pretorium;  it  was  early  and  they 
themselves  entered  not  into  the  Pretorium,  that 
they  might  not  be  defiled,  but  might  eat  the 
Passover.  Pilate  went  out  to  them  and  said, 
*'What  accusation  do  you  bring  against  this 
Man?"  They  answered,  "If  this  Man  were 
not  an  evil  doer,  we  should  not  have  delivered 
Him  to  you."  Pilate  said,  "Take  Him  your- 
selves and  judge  Him  according  to  your  Law." 
The  Jews  said  to  him,  "It  is  not  lawful  for  us 
to  put  any  man  to  death."*  Pilate  therefore 
entered  again  into  the  Pretorium,  and  called 
Jesus  and  said  to  Him,  "Are  You  the  King  of 
the  Jews?"  Jesus  answered,  "Do  you  say 
this  of  yourself  or  did  others  tell  it  to  you 
concerning  Me?"  Pilate  answered,  "Am  I  a 
Jew?  Your  own  nation  and  the  chief  priests 
delivered  You  to  me.  What  have  You  done?" 
Jesus  answered: 

"My  Kingdom  is  not  of  this  world; 

If  My  Kingdom  were  of  this  world, 
Then  would  My  servants  fight, 
That  I  should  not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews; 

But  now  is  My  Kingdom  not  from  thence." 

Pilate  said  to  Him,  "Are  You  then  a  King?" 
Jesus  answered:  "You  say  that  I  am  a  King. 

To  this  end  have  I  been  born, 

And  to  this  end  am  I  come  into  the  world, 

That  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the  truth; 

Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth,  hears  My  voice," 

Pilate  said  unto  Him,  "What  is  truth?"  And 
when  he  had  said  this  he  went  out  to  the  Jews 

*  Editorial  comment  omit. 

349 


DID   JESUS   WRITE    HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

again,  and  said  to  them,  "I  find  no  crime  in 
Him.  But  you  have  a  custom  that  I  should 
release  unto  you  one  at  the  Passover;  will  you 
therefore  that  I  release  to  you  the  King  of  the 
Jews?"  They  cried  out  again,  "Not  this  Man, 
but  Barabbas."  Now  Barabbas  was  a  robber. 
Then  Pilate  took  Jesus,  and  scourged  Him. 
And  the  soldiers  platted  a  crown  of  thorns  and 
put  it  on  His  head,  and  arrayed  Him  in  a 
purple  garment;  and  they  came  to  Him  and 
said,  "Hail  king  of  the  Jews!"  and  they  struck 
Him  with  their  hands.  Pilate  went  out  again, 
and  said  to  them,  "Behold  I  bring  Him  out  to 
you,  that  you  may  know  that  I  find  no  crime 
in  Him."  Jesus  therefore  came  out,  wearing 
the  crown  of  thorns  and  the  purple  garment. 
And  he  said  to  them,  "Behold  the  Man!" 
When  the  chief  priests  and  officers  saw  Him, 
they  cried  out,  "Crucify  Him!  Crucify  Him!" 
Pilate  said  to  them,  "Take  Him  yourselves 
and  crucify  Him;  for  I  find  no  fault  in  Him." 
The  Jews  answered  him,  "We  have  a  law;  and 
by  that  law  He  ought  to  die,  because  He  made 
Himself  the  Son  of  God."  When  Pilate  heard 
this  saying  he  was  the  more  afraid;  and  he 
entered  again  into  the  Pretorium,  and  said  to 
Jesus,  "Whence  are  You?"  But  Jesus  gave 
him  no  answer.  Pilate  therefore  said  to'^Him, 
"Do  You  not  speak  to  me?  Do  You  not  know 
that  I  have  power  to  release  You  and  I  have 
power  to  crucify  You?"    Jesus  answered  him: 

"You  would  have  no  power  against  Me, 
Except  it  were  given  you  from  above; 
Therefore  he  has  the  greater  sin 
Who  delivered  Me  unto  you." 

350 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

Upon  this  Pilate  sought  to  release  Him;  but  the 
Jews  cried  out,  "If  you  release  this  Man,  you 
are  not  Caesar's  friend.  Every  one  who  makes 
himself  a  king  speaks  against  Caesar."  When 
Pilate  heard  these  words,  he  brought  Jesus  out, 
and  sat  down  on  the  judgment  seat,  at  a  place 
called  the  "Pavement."  Now  it  was  the 
preparation  of  the  Passover;  it  was  about  the 
sixth  hour.  And  he  said  to  the  Jews,  "Behold 
your  King ! "  They  cried  out,  "Away  with  Him ! 
away  with  Him!  Crucify  Him!"  Pilate  said 
unto  them,  "Shall  I  crucify  your  King.'^"  The 
chief  priests  answered,  "We  have  no  king  but 
Caesar."  Then  therefore  he  delivered  Him  unto 
them  to  be  crucified. 

They  took  Jesus  therefore;  and  He  went 
out  bearing  His  cross  for  Himself,  to  the  place 
called  "The  Place  of  the  Skull."  where  they 
crucified  Him,  and  with  Him,  two  others,  one 
on  either  side  and  Jesus  in  the  midst.  Pilate 
also  wrote  a  title,  and  put  it  on  the  cross;  and 
there  was  written,  "Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the 
King  of  the  Jews."  This  title  therefore  read 
many  of  the  Jews;  for  the  place  where  Jesus 
was  crucified  was  nigh  to  the  city;  and  it  was 
written  in  Hebrew,  Latin,  and  Greek.  The 
chief  priests  of  the  Jews  therefore  said  to 
Pilate,  "Write  not  the  'King  of  the  Jews,'  but 
that  He  said,  'I  am  the  King  of  the  Jews.'" 
Pilate  answered,  "What  I  have  written,  I  have 
written." 

When  the  soldiers  had  crucified  Jesus,  they 
took  His  garments,  and  made  four  parts,  to 
every  soldier  a  part;  and  also  the  coat.  Now 
the  coat  was  without  seam,   woven  from  the 

351 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

top  throughout.  They  said  therefore  one  to 
another,  "Let  us  not  rend  it,  but  cast  lots  for 
it,  whose  it  shall  be."  That  the  Scripture  might 
be  fulfilled,  which  says, 

"They  parted  My  garments  among  them. 
And  upon  My  vesture  they  cast  lots." 

These  things  therefore  the  soldiers  did. 

But  there  was  standing  by  the  cross  of  Jesus, 
His  mother,  and  His  mother's  sister,  Mary  the 
wife  of  Cleopas,  and  Mary  Magdalene.  When 
Jesus  saw  His  mother,  and  the  disciple  standing 
by  whom  He  loved.  He  said  to  His  mother, 
"Woman,  behold  your  son."  Then  said  He 
to  the  disciple,  "Behold  your  mother!"  From 
that  hour  the  disciple  took  her  to  his  own 
home. 

After  these  things,  Jesus  knowing  that  all 
things  were  now  finished,  that  the  Scripture 
might  be  accomplished,  said,  "I  thirst."  There 
was  set  there  a  vessel  full  of  vinegar;  so  they 
put  a  sponge  full  of  vinegar  upon  hyssop,  and 
brought  it  to  His  mouth.  When  therefore 
Jesus  had  received  the  vinegar.  He  said,  "It 
is  finished!"  and  He  bowed  His  head  and  gave 
up  His  spirit. 

The  Jews  therefore,  because  it  was  the 
Preparation,  that  the  bodies  should  not  remain 
upon  the  cross  on  the  Sabbath  (for  the  day  of 
that  Sabbath  was  a  high  day),  asked  of  Pilate 
that  their  legs  might  be  broken,  and  that  they 
might  be  taken  away.  The  soldiers  therefore 
came  and  broke  the  legs  of  the  first;  and  of  the 
other  that  was  crucified  with  Him;  but  when 

352 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

they  came  to  Jesus  and  saw  that  He  was  dead 
already,  they  broke  not  His  legs.  Howbeit,  one 
of  the  soldiers  with  a  spear  pierced  His  side, 
and  straightway  there  came  out  blood  and 
water.*  And  after  these  things,  Joseph  of 
Arimathsea,  being  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  but  secretly 
for  fear  of  the  Jews,  asked  of  Pilate  that  he 
might  take  away  the  body  of  Jesus;  and  Pilate 
gave  him  leave.  He  came  therefore  and  took 
away  His  body.  And  there  came  also  Nico- 
demus,t  bringing  a  mixture  of  myrrh  and  aloes, 
about  a  hundred  pounds.  So  they  took  the  body 
of  Jesus  and  bound  it  in  linen  cloths  with  the 
spices,  as  the  custom  of  the  Jews  is  to  bury. 
Now  in  the  place  where  He  was  crucified  there 
was  a  garden,  and  in  the  garden  a  new  tomb, 
wherein  was  never  man  yet  laid.  There,  then, 
because  of  the  Jews  Preparation  (for  the  tomb 
was  nigh  at  hand),  they  laid  Jesus. 

VIII. — The  Risen  Jesus. — Now,  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  came  Mary  Magdalene  earlj^ 
while  it  was  yet  dark,  to  the  tomb,  and  saw 
the  stone  taken  away  from  the  tomb.  She  ran 
therefore  and  came  to  Simon  Peter,  and  to 
the  other  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,  and  said 
to  them,  "They  have  taken  away  the  Lord  out 
of  the  tomb,  and  we  know  not  where  they 
have  laid  Him."  Peter  therefore  went  forth, 
and  the  other  disciple,  and  they  went  toward 
the  tomb;  and  they  ran  both  together;  and  the 
other  disciple  outran  Peter  and  came  first  to 
the  tomb,  and  stooping  and  looking  in,  he  saw 
the  linen  cloths  lying,  yet  entered  he  not  in. 

*  Editorial  comment  omit.  t  Editorial  comment. 

«3  353 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Simon  Peter  also  came  following  him,  and 
entered  into  the  tomb;  and  he  beheld  the  linen 
cloths  lying,  and  the  napkin  that  was  about  his 
head  not  lying  with  the  linen  cloths,  but  rolled 
in  a  place  by  itself.  Then  entered  in  the  other 
disciple  also,  who  came  first  to  the  tomb;  and 
he  saw  and  believed.*  So  the  disciples  went 
away  again  to  their  own  home. 

But  Mary  was  standing  without  the  tomb 
weeping;  so  as  she  wept,  she  stooped  and  looked 
into  the  tomb,  and  she  beheld  two  angels  in 
white  sitting,  one  at  the  head  and  one  at  the 
feet,  where  the  body  of  Jesus  had  lain.  And 
they  said  to  her,  "Woman,  why  do  you  weep.f^" 
She  said  to  them,  "They  have  taken  away  my 
Lord,  and  I  know  not  where  they  have  laid 
Him."  When  she  had  thus  said,  she  turned 
herself  back,  and  beheld  Jesus  standing,  and 
knew  not  that  it  was  Jesus.  Jesus  said  to  her, 
"Woman,  why  do  you  weep?  Whom  do  you 
seek.f^"  She,  supposing  Him  to  be  the  gardener, 
said  to  Him,  "Sir,  if  you  have  borne  Him  hence, 
tell  me  where  you  have  laid  Him,  and  I  will 
take  Him  away.",  Jesus  said  to  her,  "Mary!" 
She  turned  herself  and  said  to  Him,  "Master!" 
Jesus  said  to  her,  "Touch  Me  not;  for  I  am 
not  yet  ascended  unto  the  Father;  but  go  to 
My  brethren,  and  say  to  them  I  ascend  to  My 
Father  and  your  Father,  and  to  My  God  and 
your  God."  Mary  Magdalene  came  and  told 
the  disciples,  "I  have  seen  the  Lord!"  and  that 
He  had  said  these  things  to  her. 

When  therefore  it  was  evening  on  that  day, 

*  Editorial  comment  omit. 

354 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

the  first  of  the  week,  and  when  the  doors  were 
shut  where  the  disciples  were,  for  fear  of  the 
Jews,  Jesus  came  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and 
said  to  them,  "Peace  unto  you!"  And  when 
He  had  said  this  He  showed  them  His  hands 
and  His  side.  The  disciples  therefore  were 
glad  when  they  saw  the  Lord.  Jesus  therefore 
said  to  them  again,  "Peace  to  you!  As  the 
Father  has  sent  Me,  even  so  send  I  you.'* 
And  when  He  had  said  this.  He  breathed  on 
them  and  said  to  them,  "Receive  you  the  Holy 
Spirit;  whosesoever  sins  you  forgive,  they  are 
forgiven  them;  and  whosesoever  you  retain,  they 
are  retained." 

But  Thomas,  one  of  The  Twelve,  called 
Didymus,  was  not  with  them  when  Jesus  came. 
The  other  disciples  said  to  him,  "We  have  seen 
the  Lord."  But  he  said  to  them,  "Except  I 
shall  see  in  His  hands  the  print  of  the  nails, 
and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the  nails, 
and  put  my  hand  into  His  side,  I  will  not  be- 
lieve." x\nd  after  eight  days,  again  His  disciples 
were  within  and  Thomas  with  them.  Jesus 
came,  the  doors  being  shut,  and  stood  in  the 
midst  of  them,  and  said,  "  Peace  to  you ! "  Then 
said  He  to  Thomas,  "Reach  hither  your  finger 
and  see  My  hands;  and  reach  your  hand,  and 
put  it  into  My  side;  and  be  not  faithless,  but 
believing."  Thomas  answered  and  said  to  Him, 
"My  Lord  and  my  God!"  Jesus  said  to  him, 
"Because  you  have  seen  Me,  you  have  believed; 
blessed  are  they  who  have  not  seen  and  have 
believed."  This  is  now  the  third  time  that 
Jesus  was  manifested  to  the  disciples  after 
that  He  was  risen  from  the  dead. 

355 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Many  other  signs  Jesus  did  in  the  presence 
of  His  disciples,  which  are  not  written  in  this 
book;  but  these  are  written  that  you  might 
beheve  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of 
God;  and  that  beheving  you  might  have  life 
in  His  name. 


356 


Ill 

Hypothesis  of  Gospel  Origins 

The  argument  has  now  reached  the  stage 
when  a  positive  construction  of  Gospel  Origins 
must  be  essayed.  Analysis  is  in  itself  merely 
preliminary.  The  theory  must  be  more  than 
implicit  in  the  data;  it  requires  to  be  sharply 
defined,  so  that  the  whole  array  of  difficulties 
involved  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon  it.  This 
is  particularly  the  case  where  a  new  hypothesis 
challenges  the  traditions  and  accepted  canons, 
as  does  the  one  now  to  be  presented. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  conceived  as  a  Teacher 
with  a  definite  consciousness  of  His  mission. 
He  came  to  elaborate  and  fulfill  and  also  to 
simplify  the  Law  and  the  Prophets.  He  was 
more  than  a  wandering  philosopher,  who  gave 
ethical  inspiration  to  the  folk  who  chose  to 
listen.  He  purposed  to  be  heard  and  under- 
stood. He  definitely  sought  to  perpetuate  His 
Gospel  and  to  secure  the  widest  possible  diffu- 
sion. He  challenged  the  hierarchy  of  His  time 
in  a  series  of  bold  and  heart-stirring  encounters. 
More  than  a  visionary,  He  planned  with  ex- 

357 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

traordinary  acumen,  the  details  of  His  cam- 
paigns. Almost  He  swept  to  a  victory,  which 
might  have  proven  as  crucial  a  test  of  His 
moral  power  as  did  the  supreme  renunciations 
of  His  martyrdom.  Either  way,  He  would 
have  had  an  experience  which  searched  to  the 
marrow  the  reality  of  His  spiritual  claims. 

In  the  definite  carrying  out  of  these  care- 
fully conceived  plans,  Jesus  drew  to  Himself 
from  the  number  of  His  disciples,  a  few  men 
who  were  chosen,  not  for  their  superior  loyalty, 
but  for  their  adaptation  for  the  mission  He  had 
in  mind  for  them.  Beyond  the  circle  of  The 
Twelve  was  a  larger  discipleship,  no  whit  in- 
ferior in  its  love  and  devotion,  and  indeed  in 
many  respects  more  sympathetic  and  appreci- 
ative. The  Twelve  were  chosen  to  be  recipients 
of  His  Gospel  that  they  might  with  intelligence 
transmit  it  to  others.  So  much  is  on  the  sur- 
face. It  is  also  clear  that  they  were  to  preach 
definite  messages,  rather  than  their  own  ethical 
impressions.  They  were  transmitters,  and  not 
originators.  For  them,  as  for  the  public  groups 
whom  He  addressed,  Jesus  formulated  His 
teaching.  He  must  needs  choose  an  oral  form, 
which  would  preserve  its  integrity,  and  with- 
stand as  far  as  possible  the  inevitable  tendency 
to  garble  the  spoken  word.  Hence  He  cast  His 
teaching  into  the  form  of  Hebrew  verse.  But 
this  was  more  than  a  pedagogic  necessity;  it 

358 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

was  the  natural  expression  of  His  intellect. 
He  was  fundamentally  a  poet;  imagery  came  at 
His  call;  He  thought  in  similes;  He  perceived 
poetry  to  be  the  best  expression  of  the  highest 
truth.  So  for  His  own  self-expression,  as  well 
as  the  exigencies  of  His  plan,  He  resorted  to 
this  unique  method  of  philosophical  presen- 
tation. 

Having  composed  His  ethical  teaching  with 
this  exactitude.  He  insisted  upon  its  being  fixed 
in  the  mind  of  His  disciples.  It  was  their  busi- 
ness during  the  days  of  their  common  traveling 
to  familiarize  themselves  with  His  message. 
Every  appreciation  which  led  them  to  follow 
Him,  made  this  a  glad  service  on  their  part. 
They  felt  that  He  had  "the  Logia  of  eternal 
life."  It  was  not  a  perfunctory  response  that 
would  issue  only  in  vague  impressions  and  in- 
adequate recollections.  So  far  as  the  human 
mind  was  capable  of  becoming  a  medium  for 
exact  reproduction  of  another's  thought,  they 
accepted  the  privilege  and  responsibility. 

For  the  most  part,  this  teaching  of  Jesus 
referred  to  ethical  and  urgent  daily  problems. 
It  was  practical  in  its  bearing  upon  individual 
religious  life.  It  was  meant  to  be  of  actual 
service  to  living  men.  So  His  method  of  public 
proclamation  was  simple.  Commonly  before  a 
gathering  of  auditors  He  would  recite  His 
Logion  or  Parable,  and  thus  challenge  them  to 

359 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

inquiries,  so  that  the  Logia  would  become  the 
basis  for  more  extended  comment,  which  might 
in  cases  become  affixed  to  the  Oracle  itself. 
So  every  Oracle  would  have  a  definite  historic 
setting.  Sometimes,  indeed,  because  of  its  use 
on  more  than  one  notable  occasion,  there  might 
be  a  variety  of  reminiscences  centering  upon 
the  same  utterances.  Inevitably  also  the  same 
theme  would  grow  in  His  mind,  and  a  simple 
passage  become  the  nucleus  for  more  exquisite 
poems,  as  is  the  case  with  the  "lost  sheep,"  and 
kindred  utterances.  The  problem  of  His  lit- 
erary method,  however,  belongs  to  quite  another 
department  of  analysis.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
without  the  recognition  of  the  definite  poetical 
forms  and  their  proper  setting,  we  can  come  to 
no  adequate  appreciation  of  His  literary  genius. 
In  such  a  fashion  did  Jesus  develop  a  body 
of  ethical  teaching  in  poetic  form;  and  in  such  a 
fashion  did  the  disciples  make  it  their  own. 
In  other  words,  by  the  best  oral  methods  de- 
visable Jesus  published  His  Gospel.  It  had 
definite  limits  in  the  minds  of  His  disciples,  which 
served  to  mark  it  off  from  their  own  reflections 
and  from  their  own  reminiscences.  How  early 
this  became  reduced  to  writing,  whether  during 
the  actual  ministry  of  Jesus,  or  immediately 
thereafter,  it  is  impossible  to  say.  But  there 
is  no  flight  of  imagination  in  supposing  that 
Matthew,  accustomed  from  his  business  to  get- 

360 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

ting  things  down  on  paper,  should  have  trans- 
ferred the  habits  of  his  Hfe  to  the  new  occupa- 
tion in  which  he  was  now  engaged.  Indeed,  the 
detail  with  which  Jesus  planned  other  affairs 
might  warrant  the  assumption  that  it  was  with 
this  very  service  in  mind  that  He  called  the 
Publican  into  intimate  discipleship. 

There  exists  beyond  question  a  collection  of 
Logia  attributed  to  Jesus  and  associated  with 
the  name  of  Matthew.  These  Logia  have  so 
maintained  their  form  of  Hebrew  verse  as  to  be 
their  own  best  attestation  of  their  accuracy. 
For  all  practical  purposes  they  are  a  transcript 
of  the  teaching  which  Jesus  formulated  with 
such  exquisite  care  and  gave  to  His  disciples  as 
His  best  legacy.  They  constitute  His  public 
ethical  doctrine. 

But  there  was  much  which  Jesus  had  to  say 
that  did  not  fairly  belong  to  the  doctrine  to  be 
passed  from  man  to  man.  There  were  problems 
centering  in  His  own  personality;  there  were 
others  arising  from  His  mission  and  claims; 
there  were  intimacies  of  His  own  soul.  These 
things  challenged  poetic  expression;  in  reality, 
they  required  it.  His  deepest  instincts  of  self- 
expression  found  utterance  in  such  wise.  He 
was  fundamentally  the  poet,  and  in  the  inevi- 
table self-interpretation,  which  is  the  essence  of 
poetry,  He  found  a  theme  not  adapted  to  the 
common  mind.    It  was  not  for  Him  to  cast  His 

361 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

pearls  before  swine.  Only  to  His  disciples  in 
intimate  mood  could  some  of  these  things  be 
said;  and  indeed,  much  of  this  was  beyond  the 
perception  of  the  more  material  minds  among 
them.  At  times,  in  moments  of  exalted  response 
to  the  antagonism  of  the  world,  He  made  asser- 
tions in  the  loftiest  strains  of  poetic  self-revela- 
tion; but  this  was  only  occasional,  and  a  source 
of  mystery  to  His  auditors.  For  the  most  part, 
the  minds  which  were  nearest  akin  to  His 
would  be  the  recipients  of  these  treasures  of 
His  heart. 

Certain  it  is  that  the  collection  of  these 
intimate  and  deeper  revelations  which  are 
attributed  to  Him  have  by  long  tradition  been 
associated  with  the  name  of  that  disciple  who 
stood  in  the  most  intimate  relation  to  the  Master, 
and  who,  in  his  after  life,  most  fully  manifested 
the  qualities  of  heart  and  life  which  were  most 
appreciated  by  the  great  Teacher.  The  situa- 
tion to  become  intelligible  only  requires  the 
assumption  that  from  the  first,  either  by  instinct, 
or  appointment,  or  appreciation,  John  became 
the  repository  of  these  deep  and  elemental 
Oracles.  Some  were  cherished  by  him  in  secret 
and  found  posthumous  publication  when  the 
general  attitude  of  the  disciples  had  become 
such  as  would  enable  their  appreciation.  But 
the  accuracy  with  which  the  verse  forms  have 
been  preserved,   is  the  attestation  of  the  ac- 

362 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

tuality  of  such  a  collection  of  Oracles.  Subse- 
quent recollections  may  have  enriched  it,  but 
the  great  jbody  of  these  utterances  would  have 
been  too  sacred  a  thing  for  any  unholy  tamper- 
ing. The  significant  thing  is  this:  That  after 
the  resurrection  the  attitude  of  the  disciples 
toward  Jesus  is  that  which  pertains  to  the  Master 
of  the  Johannine  Oracles  rather  than  the  Rabbi 
of  the  Matthaean  Logia.  It  is  difficult  to  under- 
stand how  they  were  helped  to  this  changed  atti- 
tude, except  under  the  influence  of  the  self- 
revelations  contained  in  these  Oracles.  The 
force  of  the  posthumous  publication  of  such 
declarations  must  have  been  tremendous;  it 
would  have  clarified  the  confusion  and  made 
the  new  faith  a  matter  for  triumphant  declara- 
tion. The  mere  assurance  of  the  resurrection 
would  not  suffice;  that  in  itself  differed  but  lit- 
tle, at  least  in  its  necessary  implications,  from 
other  resurrections  which  the  Master  had  super- 
induced. The  thing  that  stands  out  in  the  new 
attitude  is  the  recognition  of  the  divine  Lord- 
ship of  Jesus.  It  is  this  which  is  not  stressed 
in  the  Matthaean  Logia,  not  recognized  during 
the  months  of  companionship  with  Jesus,  but 
which  becomes  the  dominant  note  of  the  new 
faith. 

Thus  Jesus  left  to  His  disciples  much  besides 
the  precious  memories  of  intimate  association, 
the  heroic  deeds  He  wrought,  the  great  program 

363 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

for   world   conquest,   and   the   stupendous   fact 
of  His  resurrection.    He  left  also  definite  Logia 
of    His    ethical    message    and  wondrously    ex- 
pressed Oracles  of  self-revelation.     Christianity 
in  its  very   inception  was  literary.     The  dis- 
ciples took  their  pens  in  hand  as  naturally  as 
they  stood  upon  the  rostrum.     It  was  not  to 
mere  crude  narrative  that  they  were  impelled, 
but  to. literary  expression  of  an  unusual  order. 
They   were   the   followers   of   a   great   literary 
Master,  and  the  force  of  His  example,  as  well 
as  the  rich  profit  which  came  to  them,  were 
suggestive  of  the  new  method  of  propaganda. 
The  situation,  as  it  rapidly  developed,  re- 
quired the  formation  of  definite  teaching.     It 
was  a  simple  matter   to   give  the  message  of 
Jesus  to  new  disciples.     It  was  inevitable  that 
they  should  embody  in  their  attitude  of  worship 
the  new  and  profound  appreciation  of  the  char- 
acter and  person  of  Jesus.     Peter  was  the  in- 
evitable spokesman  of  the  one,  John  the  ex- 
quisite interpreter  of  the  other.     But  as  they 
gathered  to  themselves  new  disciples,  the  de- 
mand arose  for  facts  concerning  the  life  of  the 
Master.    Imagination  required  data  upon  which 
to  build.     What  manner  of  man  was  Jesus? 
How  did  He  go  about  among  men.^     Where 
He  was   the   theme  of  constant  conversation, 
something  authoritative  was  necessary.     How 
did  it  come  about  that  the  Messiah  was  done 

364 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

to  death  by  the  Jews?  The  story  of  the  conflict 
with  the  hierarchy  was  one  of  perennial  interest. 
New  pilgrims  were  coming  up  with  the  seasons, 
and  to  them  the  story  required  telling.  Thus 
the  tendencies  of  the  time  and  situation  found 
expression  in  the  development  of  a  group  of 
incidents  reflecting  the  ministry  of  Jesus  in  a 
miscellaneous  way,  and  in  a  series  of  explana- 
tions of  the  great  conflict  with  the  hierarchy. 
The  themes  were  separate,  and  a  separate  treat- 
ment was  inevitable.  To  the  Church  in  Jeru- 
salem, the  Jerusalem  theme  would  remain  of 
supreme  import. 

It  so  happens  then  that  there  survives  a 
narrative  which  details  this  controversy  from 
its  inception,  and  moves  with  steady  and 
dramatic  unfolding  to  the  climax  of  the  cruci- 
fixion, and  the  denouement  of  the  resurrection. 
The  unity  of  this  writing  is  remarkable,  and  its 
literary  quality  of  a  high  order.  Its  mode  of 
treatment  and  the  range  of  questions  treated 
make  it  of  paramount  interest  to  a  Church  en- 
vironed as  were  the  Christians  before  the 
Dispersion.  Its  note  of  authority  and  its 
occasional  wealth  of  detail  relate  it  to  an  eye 
witness.  This  manuscript  is  attributed  by  those 
who  afterwards  made  editorial  use  oi  it  to  none 
other  than  the  Apostle  John.  It  is  for  these 
general  reasons  to  be  given  the  distinctive  name 
of   "The   Jerusalem   Gospel,"   and   tentatively 

365 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

attributed  to  the  apostle,  and  dated  in  Jerusa- 
lem before  the  Dispersion,  that  is  as  early  as 
33  or  34  A.  D. 

It  is  to  be  conceived  that  the  Dispersion 
marked  a  new  era  in  the  literary  development 
of  the  Gospels.  It  would  create  a  demand  for 
Gospel  fragments.  These  began  to  be  written 
in  considerable  numbers,  and  indeed,  the  writers 
came  to  a  definite  recognition  as  a  special  kind 
of  Church  workers.  Commonly,  the  merest 
fragment  would  suffice.  It  was  at  once  the 
nature  of  souvenir  and  a  precious  legacy.  Nar- 
ratives would  flow  together  in  other  instances, 
and  groups  and  collections  be  formed.  Some 
elements  of  falsity  would  develop;  legend  would 
spring  up.  At  the  same  time  Christian  poetry 
was  having  a  vogue;  hymns  and  spiritual  songs 
were  not  uncommon,  sometimes  reaching  the 
point  of  imaginative  genius.  The  initial  literary 
impulse  which  the  Master  had  given  was  ac- 
celerated by  the  actual  value  of  these  produc- 
tions, a  value  greatly  enhanced  by  the  scattering 
of  the  worshipers. 

How  early  these  reminiscences  were  reduced 
to  order,  is  a  fine  problem  of  analysis.  But  the 
group  which  has  been  denominated  "The  Caper- 
naum Document,"  must  have  been  aggregated 
at  a  comparatively  early  period.  It  may  have 
been  a  naive  response  to  the  over-emphasis  on 
the  Jerusalem  ministry  as  presented  in  the  earli- 

366 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

est  Christian  narrative.  Its  identity,  however, 
is  clear,  and  it  became  the  prototype  of  a  great 
class  of  Gospels.  The  evils  resulting  from 
miscellaneous  promulgation  of  the  anecdotal 
life  of  the  Master  were  evident.  The  matter 
required  some  authoritative  presentation.  It 
took  the  form  of  a  narrative  that  showed  the 
connection  of  Jesus  with  The  Twelve.  The 
distinctive  characteristic  of  the  document,  prop- 
erly called  the  Ur-Marcus,  is  that  it  traces  this 
relation.  This  is  the  explanation  of  its  diverg- 
ence from  the  Jerusalem  narrative.  The  Twelve 
were  not  called  to  personal  discipleship  until 
after  the  early  Judean  ministry  had  ceased 
and  Jesus  entered  upon  the  second  phase  of 
His  ministry.  Other  events  in  the  Jerusalem 
activity  have  been  placed  by  Dr.  Briggs*  in 
the  interval  occupied  by  the  mission  journey  of 
the  disciples.  It  is  remarkable  indeed  how,  with 
the  proper  discrimination  of  the  Jerusalem 
Gospel  from  the  later  accretions,  all  chronolog- 
ical diflSculties  as  between  John  and  the  Synop- 
tics disappear.  The  Ur-Marcus  is  thus  the  nar- 
rative of  the  apostolate.  It  would,  by  virtue 
of  this  fact,  become  the  authorized  presentation 
of  the  ministry  of  Jesus.  Among  the  Gentile 
Churches  it  would  have  circulation  to  the  prac- 
tical exclusion  of  the  Jerusalem  Gospel,  which 

*New  Light  on  the  Life  of  Jesus,  p.  40  seq. 

367 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

would  be  scarcely  known  by  name.  The  union 
of  the  Ur-Marcus  with  the  Capernaum  docu- 
ment would  be  an  early  achievement,  but 
diversely  accomplished.  Some  gifted  editor 
undertook  the  compilation  of  the  two  with  the 
Logia  of  Matthew,  and  added  such  interpre- 
tative notes  as  were  deemed  helpful.  Whether 
at  this  time  or  subsequently  the  infancy  record 
was  added  is  a  matter  of  great  critical  difficulty, 
but  fortunately  not  of  primary  importance. 

The  need  for  the  adequate  presentation  of 
the  Master's  Logia  led  to  an  edition  which  gave 
them  historical  setting  and  associated  with 
them  Parables  and  Sayings  authenticated  by 
traditions  and  in  some  cases  preserved  with 
marvelous  accuracy.  This  book  had  a  vogue 
of  its  own,  and  perhaps  in  quarters  a  popularity 
greater  than  the  Logia  themselves.  The  Logia 
have  suffered  from  verbal  forgetfulness  and  in- 
tentional improvement.  Done  into  Greek  with 
a  freedom  of  literary  grace,  they  none  the  less 
lost  much  of  the  original  Hebraic  form,  which 
is  the  best  credential  of  complete  accuracy. 

By  the  sixth  decade  of  the  century,  the  great 
body  of  Christians  were  supplied  with  some 
fragments  of  the  Gospel  story  in  manuscript. 
The  production  of  these  leaflets  had  become  a 
recognized  means  of  spreading  the  Gospel.  It 
would  seem,  indeed,  that  Christian  missionaries 
have  in  all  centuries  made  use  of  such  tracts. 

368 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

The  brief  epistles  are  only  another  form  of  this 
mode  of  propaganda.     The  usefulness  of  these 
Gospel  memoranda  is  well  attested  by  the  fact 
that  the  writers  of  such  fragments  were  dis- 
tinctly recognized  as  a  class  of  workers  endowed 
with  special  gifts.    Some  among  the  Christians 
were  thus  called  to  be  "evangelists."     At  the 
first  the  tracts  were  but  leaflets,  the  writing  out 
of  some  distinct  story  or  saying.     Afterwards, 
by  gradual  literary  processes,  the  stories  became 
combined   and  were  elaborated   with  more  or 
less  truth  and  skill.    There  are  clearly  discernible 
at  least  two  streams  of  development— the  one 
issuing  in  the  Lukan  record,  the  other  being  a 
more  highly  developed  and  independent  form, 
which  circulated  chiefly  in  connection  with  the 
Jerusalem  cycle,  and  whose  main  contributions 
were  lodged  finally  in  the  accretions  which  make 
the  bulk  of  the  extraneous  matter  of  the  present 
Johannine  Gospel.     There  is  indeed  reason  to 
presume  a  single  authorship  for  this  last  group, 
and  to  attribute  it  to  Philip,  the  evangehst  of 
Cesarea.     In  any   event,   the   more   developed 
forms  belong  to  the  latter  part  of  the  century. 
The   same   development   accounts    also   for 
the  infancy  Gospels.     Their  literary  structure 
and    graces    are    evidently    of    the    composite 
order,  and  quite  distinct  from  the  simple  and 
sometimes   naive  recital   of  the  earlier  tracts. 
They  have  recourse  to  the  Hebrew  verse  forms, 
24  369 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

and  contain  beautiful  poems,  which  have  en- 
tranced the  ages  and  become  a  part  of  the  highest 
ritual  of  worship.  It  is  the  flowering  of  the 
literary  instinct  which  had  its  inception  in  the 
genius  and  example  of  Jesus. 

Obviously,  all  this  activity  resulted  in  a 
certain  literary  confusion,  which  required  the 
ordering  of  some  master.  It  is  at  this  juncture 
that  Luke  felt  the  impulse  to  sum  up  his  con- 
ception of  the  Gospel  story.  His  own  intro- 
ductory words  are  the  best  characterization  of 
the  situation: 

"Many  attempts  have  already  been  made  to  draw 
up  an  account  of  those  matters  that  are  accepted  as 
true  among  us,  exactly  as  they  have  been  handed  down 
to  us  by  those  who  from  the  very  first  were  eye  witnesses 
and  afterwards  became  the  bearers  of  the  message. 
I,  also,  having  investigated  all  these  matters  with  great 
care  from  the  beginning,  have  resolved  to  write  a  con- 
nected history  of  them  for  you.  In  this  way  you  will 
be  able  to  satisfy  yourself  of  the  accuracy  of  the  story 
which  you  have  heard  from  the  lips  of  others."  * 

So  then  the  Evangelist  Luke  essays  a  com- 
bination of  the  various  sources  at  his  com- 
mand, and  very  naturally  uses  as  the  basis  the 
Narrative  of  The  Twelve.  He  writes,  however, 
with  great  freedom,  and  relies  upon  his  memory. 
So  doing,  he  proceeds  to  ejffect  combinations 
and  modifications  which  are  the  result  of  oral 
accretion  and  attrition.  Nothing  is  more  sin- 
gular   than    the    appearance    of    exact    verbal 

*Tweiitieth  Century  New  Testament. 

370 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

reproduction  in  the  same  paragraph  with  the 
strangest  variation.  Oral  reproduction  in  the 
course  of  years  plays  precisely  such  pranks. 
It  may  indeed  have  been  that  he  worked  from 
a  copy  of  the  Narrative  of  The  Twelve  which 
had  been  reproduced  from  memory,  and  that 
he  himself  was  faithful  to  its  pages.  But  by 
such  composite  processes  he  produced  a  book 
which  combined  the  valuable  material  circulat- 
ing among  the  Gentile  Churches.  He  has 
served  as  interpreter  and  elaborator.  By  virtue 
of  his  view  of  the  historian's  function,  he  has 
sought  also  to  weave  the  isolated  data  into  a 
continuous  narrative,  but  with  only  partial 
success.  His  book,  alike  in  its  dedication,  in 
its  scheme  of  presentation,  and  in  its  language, 
appeals  to  the  better  literary  instinct,  and 
would  bid  for  a  place  in  the  libraries  of  men  of 
culture.  It  was  intentionally  to  supersede  the 
previous  partial  and  somewhat  ruder  and  ar- 
chaic literary  productions.  It  represents  the 
Christianity  of  the  end  of  the  century. 

Beginning  with  the  dispersion  arising  from 
the  persecution  of  Saul  of  Tarsus,  and  con- 
tinuing through  the  century  there  had  been  a 
division  of  Christianity.  It  came  to  its  formal 
recognition  at  the  council  in  Jerusalem.  The 
two  streams  separated  widely,  and  each  pro- 
duced its  own  literature,  with  but  the  occasional 
exchange  of  ideas.    The  great  leader  of  Gentile 

371 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Christianity,  partly  by  instinct  and  partly  by 
policy,  emphasized  this  separateness.  Each 
literary  development  would  be  subject  to  the 
same  formative  influences,  so  far  as  they  were 
due  to  the  age.  In  each  appeared  the  same 
kinds  of  literature.  But  after  a  generation 
had  passed,  there  began  to  be  evidences  of  the 
flowing  together  of  these  two  streams.  The 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  rendered  this  inevitable, 
for  the  Christianity  which  centered  there  be- 
came in  turn  a  Christianity  of  the  Dispersion. 
Toward  the  end  of  the  century,  the  supervision 
of  the  Churches  in  Asia  Minor  seems  to  have 
fallen  upon  one  who  had  been  closely  identified 
with  the  development  of  the  Jerusalem  Church 
and  of  the  literature  which  grew  up  about  it. 
The  coming  of  "John"  to  this  position  involved 
also  the  bringing  into  prominence  the  Gospel 
as  the  apostle  of  that  name  had  presented  it, 
and  the  wider  circulation  of  the  tracts  which 
had  had  vogue  in  the  Jerusalem  circles.  This 
consisted  of  the  Oracles  of  Jesus  which  John 
had  mediated  to  the  early  Church,  and  which 
had  influenced  Gentile  Christianity  more,  as 
they  had  been  embodied  in  the  thought  of  the 
Church,  than  as  a  separate  literary  document. 
Indeed,  these  teachings  had  from  the  first  been 
esoteric,  more  to  be  shared  with  the  leaders 
than  to  be  the  nurture  of  the  rank  and  file. 
Now   the   Oracles   themselves   emerged   into   a 

372 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

larger  usefulness.  Also  the  Jerusalem  Gospel, 
as  composed  by  the  apostle  for  the  benefit  of 
the  early  Church,  subsided  in  its  vogue,  as  the 
center  of  interest  shifted  from  Jerusalem,  and 
received  its  authorization  from  the  Narrative 
of  The  Twelve.  The  Jerusalem  document  now 
first  became  available  for  the  Church  general. 
In  addition  to  these  important  contributions, 
came  the  cycle  of  memoranda  and  developed 
story  which  pertained  to  the  other  development 
of  the  Church.  How  profoundly  this  new  in- 
fusion affected  life  and  thought,  is  attested  by 
the  almost  instant  appearance  in  the  early 
patristic  literature  of  the  nobler  conceptions  of 
the  nature  of  Jesus. 

It  remained,  however,  for  some  adequate 
mind  to  do  for  these  literary  survivals  what 
Luke  had  already  done  for  the  data  at  hand 
in  his  circle.  Indeed,  the  example  of  Luke 
made  this  inevitable.  Accordingly,  some  of 
this  inner  circle  took  the  various  elements  and 
compounded  them  into  a  single  narrative  to 
which  with  the  highest  propriety  the  name  of 
the  Apostle  John  was  attached.  The  process  of 
composition  is  simple.  The  Jerusalem  nar- 
rative is  basic,  and  wherever  opportunity  of 
topic  seemed  to  offer,  the  Oracles  of  Jesus  were 
distributed,  the  bulk  of  them  being  massed  in 
the  last  interview  with  the  disciples,  for  sheer 
lack  of  further  place  in  which  to  dispose  of  the 

373 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

material.  The  various  tractate  stories  also 
were  then  distributed,  with  some  simple  regard 
for  geography,  and  yet  with  more  concern  for 
the  topical  method.  The  "joining"  was  at 
times  affected  by  special  comment;  at  others 
it  was  left  exposed  with  a  naive  disregard  for 
the  context.  The  strong  unity  and  movement 
of  the  basic  narrative  suflficiently  absorbed 
these  faults,  and  for  a  time  gave  rise  to  the 
impression  of  great  literary  completeness.  It 
is  possible  that  these  changes  were  wrought 
from  Aramaean  manuscripts,  and  that  the  Gospel 
in  this  final  form  made  its  first  appearance  in 
Greek.  The  date  of  this  achievement  is  scarcely 
a  matter  for  conjecture.  It  pertains  to  the 
beginning  of  the  new  century,  and  practically 
marks  the  close  of  the  apostolic  Gospel  cycle. 
Such,  in  broad  outline,  is  the  theory  of 
Gospel  origins  which  arises  upon  the  contem- 
plation of  the  data  brought  to  light  by  an 
analysis  centering  in  a  recognition  of  the  par- 
allelisms of  the  teaching  of  Jesus.  The  anal- 
ysis does  not  arise  from  theological  bias,  but 
from  literary  method.  This  synthesis  has  the 
merit  at  least  of  enabling  a  clear  differentia- 
tion of  the  component  parts  of  the  Gospels 
and  the  assigning  to  each  of  a  definite  period 
for  its  development.  The  chronology  of  the 
origins  as  thus  tentatively  set  forth,  may  be 
exhibited: 

374 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

Chronological  Table  of  Gospel  Origins. 
A.  D.  27. — The  Logia  and  Parables  of  Jesus. 

28. — The  Oracles  of  Jesus  (mediate  through  John). 

30. — The  Jerusalem  Gospel  (authorship  of  John). 

27-33. — Growth  of  Oral  narrative. 

33-38. — The  Capernaum  Document. 

35.— The  Narrative  of  The  Twelve  (official 
record).     The  Ur-Marcus. 

40-45. — Circulation  of  Numerous  Tractates. 

46. — Gospel  of  Matthew  (combined  from  the 
Logia,  Capernaum  Document,  and  the  Nar- 
rative of  The  Twelve). 

50. — The  Lukan  Source  (a  version  of  Logia  and 
parables,  with  specific  setting). 

50-60. — Development   of  elaborate  incidents  in  lit- 
erary form.    The  Infancy  Gospels. 

70. — Gospel  of  Luke  (the  re-writing  of  data  at 
hand) . 

90-100. — The  Emergence  of  John's  Writings. 

The   Completion   by   Editorial   Processes   of 
the  Gospel  of  John. 


375 


IV 

The  Argument  in  Outline 

The  hypothesis  of  the  literary  mastership  of 
Jesus,  as  here  presented,  escapes,  by  the  form  of 
its  statement,  many  of  the  difficulties  which 
have  ordinarily  confronted  any  thesis  of  the 
origin  of  the  Gospel  of  John.  There  is  much 
gain  from  the  fact  that  a  unified  Gospel  is  de- 
nied. This  at  once  invalidates  a  syllogism 
counted  heretofore  of  considerable  force. 

The  Gospel  of  John  is  a  literary  unit; 
Portions  of  the  Gospel  are  of  late  date: 
Therefore  the  Gospel  is  of  a  late  date. 

But  in  view  of  the  data  as  here  presented, 
the  minor  premise  can  be  freely  granted,  and 
yet  the  conclusion  denied.  It  would  be  incum- 
bent upon  the  advocates  of  a  late  date  either 
to  reject,  by  proper  showing  of  reason,  the 
literary  analysis  which  has  been  made,  or  else 
to  show  in  a  similar  fashion  that  the  narrative 
portion  shows  unmistakable  evidence  of  late 
influences. 

The  usual  array  of  evidences  for  the  later 
influences  is  well  summarized  by  a  late  writer* 

*Moffatt.     Intro.  N.T. 

376 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

who  shows  extraordinary  familiarity  with  the 
literature  of  the  subject.  These  influences  are 
divided  by  him  into  three  classes: 

a — Evidences  of  Philonism; 
b — Evidences  of  Paulinism; 
c — Evidences  of  Stoicism. 

To  these  is  added  an  analysis  of  the  relation  to 
the  Synoptics,  tending  to  show  a  subsequent 
writing  of  the  Johannine  Gospel. 

The  usual  argument  for  the  Philonic  influ- 
ence stresses  the  introduction  to  the  Gospel. 
The  relationship  of  the  two  is  indeed  marked. 
The  Gospel  is  not  dependent  upon  the  Alexan- 
drian system  for  its  essence,  but  it  none  the  less 
makes  happy  use  of  phrases  popularized  in  that 
school  of  thought,  howbeit  it  charges  them 
with  a  different  meaning.  The  Logos  idea  must 
be  regarded  as  a  current  conception  of  philos- 
ophy, which  would  appeal  to  Christian  thinkers 
when  they  essayed  an  independent  interpreta- 
tion of  the  data  of  their  faith.  This  implies  a 
comparatively  late  data.  It  appears,  however, 
that  the  introduction  is  a  separable  production, 
having  a  completeness  and  definite  form  of 
its  own.  It  makes  use  of  Hebrew  verse  forms 
and  constitutes  a  philosophical  statement  of 
the  Christian  faith.  Once  the  statement  is 
presented  with  due  regard  for  its  literary 
structure  and  allowance  for  interpretative  com- 
ment, it  is  easily  separated  from  the  Gospel 

377 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

and  seen  to  be  in  the  nature  of  a  "Credo,"  or 
confession. 

In  Beginning  was  the  Logos, 

And  the  Logos  was  with  God; 
All  things  were  made  by  Him, 
And  without  Him,  nothing  was  made. 

All  that  was  made  was  life  in  Him, 
And  the  life  was  the  light  of  men; 
The  light  shined  in  darkness. 
And  the  darkness  comprehended  it  not. 

He  came  unto  His  own. 

But  His  own  received  Him  not; 

But  as  many  as  received  Him, 

To  them  He  gave  power  to  become  sons  of 
God. 

The  Logos  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us; 
And  we  beheld  His  glory,  full  of  grace  and  truth. 

Of  His  fullness  have  all  we  received. 

And  grace  for  grace; 

For  the  Law  was  given  by  Moses; 
Grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ. 

No  man  has  seen  God  at  any  time; 

The  only  begotten  Son  has  declared  Him. 

The  power  and  beauty  of  such  a  confession 
is  beyond  dispute.  Its  aptness  would  give  it 
currency  in  any  philosophical  community.  This 
currency  would  lead  to  its  elaboration  by  com- 
ment, and  to  the  amplification  of  some  of  its 
significant  terms.  Precisely  this  has  actually 
occurred,  and  these  additions  being  incorporated 
into  the  text  have  secured  doctrinal  explicitness 
at  the  cost  of  literary  beauty. 

378 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

These  very  considerations  are  reasons  why 
in  presenting  in  Greek  dress  the  Gospel  of  John, 
use  should  be  made  of  this  creed  as  an  introduc- 
tion. The  editor  has  been  skillful  in  fusing  the 
creed  with  the  opening  words  of  the  narrative, 
yet  has  not  succeeded  wholly  in  obscuring  the 
juncture.  The  narrative  can  be  presented  in 
its  probable  original  form.  When  so  restored, 
it  reads  as  follows: 

"There  was  a  man,  sent  from  God,  whose  name  was 
John.  He  came  for  a  witness,  that  he  might  bear  witness 
of  the  Light,  that  all  men  might  believe  through  him. 
He  was  not  the  Light,  but  came  that  he  might  bear  wit- 
ness of  the  Light.  There  was  the  true  Light,  which  lights 
every  man  coming  into  the  world.  John  bear  witness 
of  Him  and  cried,  saying,  '  This  was  He  of  whom  I  said, 

He  that  comes  after  me 
Is  come  before  me. 
For  He  was  before  me.' 

And  this  is  the  witness  of  John,  when  the  Jews  sent 
unto  him  from  Jerusalem,  priests  and  Levites,  to  ask 
him,  'Who  art  thou.'*'  And  he  confessed  and  denied 
not;  and  he  confessed,  'I  am  not  the  Christ.'  " 

The  unity  of  this  passage,  its  own  adequacy 
as  an  introduction  to  the  Gospel  narrative,  its 
prose  form  in  the  midst  of  a  poetical  passage, 
all  argue  the  original  separateness  of  the  creed 
and  the  verses  here  quoted.  The  details  of  the 
matter  admit  of  a  sustaining  exposition.  But 
it  suflSces  for  the  present  to  suggest  a  tenable 
hypothesis. 

379 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

Philonism  is  thought  also  to  be  shown  in 
the  use  of  allegories  and  hyper-significant 
phrases  and  passages.  The  most  significant  of 
these  are  the  stories  of  the  Samaritan  woman, 
and  of  the  controversy  centering  in  the  Bread 
of  Life.  The  symbolical  interpretation  of  these 
passages  may  be  conceded,  though,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  whole  issue  is  still  debatable.  But 
these  passages  have  been,  on  literary  ground, 
excised  from  the  narrative  and  esteemed  of  a 
later  date.  Of  the  numerous  citations  of  phrases 
as  being  Philonic  in  character,  four-fifths  of  the 
references  are  to  excised  passages,  while  the 
nature  of  the  others  is  such  that  they  can  only 
be  esteemed  Philonic,  when  that  thesis  has 
been  previously  established.  That  is  to  say, 
the  more  natural  significance  must  first  be  set 
aside. 

Thus,  the  thesis  of  the  Jerusalem  Gospel  as 
the  ground  work  of  the  Gospel,  escapes  the 
force  of  the  Philonic  argument.  It  is  not  even 
under  the  necessity  of  establishing  its  freedom 
from  such  influences,  for  the  utmost  now  claimed 
by  advocates  of  this  interpretation  is  beside 
the  mark  as  applied  to  the  narrative  proper. 

The  argument  from  Paulinism  is  to  be  met 
in  quite  another  fashion.  The  comparison  of 
views  between  the  Johannine  Gospel  and  the 
Pauline  teaching  shows  that  the  parallel  is 
mainly  with  the  Oracles  attributed  to  Jesus. 

380 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

Thus  the  narrative  itself  is  largely  free  from 
the  comparison.  Whatever  force  the  Pauline 
argument  possesses  applies  in  but  the  mildest 
fashion  to  the  portion  from  the  pen  of  John. 
So  far  as  the  Oracles  are  concerned,  the  issue 
may  fairly  be  changed.  Is  it  not  possible  that 
the  high  Christology  of  Paul  was  received  from 
the  Jerusalem  Church.^  Certainly  his  own 
vision  of  Christ  is  but  the  counterpart  of  the 
vision  which  Stephen  had  at  his  death.  The 
real  problem  is  to  explain  the  divine  Christology 
which  took  possession  of  the  apostolic  mind. 
To  esteem  Jesus  as  a  great  Teacher,  as  the 
Messiah  even,  was  another  and  lesser  thing 
from  worshiping  Him  as  divine.  Even  the  res- 
urrection does  not  warrant  such  a  transforma- 
tion of  attitude.  But  to  conceive  that  passages 
of  the  Master's  teaching  were  brought  to  their 
attention,  teaching  privately  given  and  only 
appreciated  in  the  light  of  events,  is  to  under- 
stand how  the  new  mental  attitude  was  de- 
veloped. Certain  it  is  that  the  actual  attitude 
of  the  Church  is  entirely  consonant  with  the 
"Oracles."  These  utterances  mark  no  advance 
over  the  almost  immediate  recognition  of  the 
Church  of  their  Lord's  divinity.  That  this 
attitude  is  revealed  by  custom  and  by  chance 
phrase,  rather  than  by  explicit  theological 
statement,  is  no  argument  against  its  reality. 
Formal  theology  has  always  been  but  the  justifi- 

381 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

cation  of  previously  accepted  conclusions.  Thus 
the  argument  from  Paulinism  is  a  two-edged 
weapon  that,  to  say  the  least,  cuts  both  ways. 
The  positive  argument  for  the  authenticity  of 
the  Oracles  requires  a  further  putting.  It  is 
enough  to  indicate  that  the  argument  from 
Paulinism  is  indecisive,  and  that  the  early  date 
of  the  Jerusalem  narrative  is  not  affected 
thereby. 

In  a  similar  way,  the  traces  of  Stoicism  which 
have  been  discerned  in  the  Gospel  are  mainly 
in  evidence  in  those  portions  whose  later  date 
is  conceded  and  indeed  required  by  the  evidence 
here  presented.  They  have  value  as  determin- 
ing the  date  when  the  completed  Gospel  was 
given  to  the  Church. 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  the  present  thesis 
escapes  from  some  of  the  difficulties  which  have 
been  most  serious  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
undertook  to  establish  a  Johannine  authorship 
for  the  entire  Gospel.  The  elaborate  tissue  of 
evidence  which  has  been  developed  in  rebuttal 
is  ruled  out  as  irrelevant. 

The  second  main  issue  is  much  more  com- 
plicated. The  relation  of  the  Johannine  Gospel 
to  the  other  three  is  an  intricate  theme.  On 
the  present  hypothesis  it  divides  itself  into  two 
issues.  Certain  portions  of  the  Johannnie 
Gospel  cover  the  same  ground  as  is  covered  by 
the  synoptics.     It  was  noted  in  passing  that  a 

382 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

number  of  the  excised  incidents  are  variant 
versions  of  the  same  incident  related  by  one  or 
another  of  the  Synoptics.  This  is  particularly 
true  of  the  Feeding  of  the  Thousands,  and  some 
of  the  associated  items.  In  such  cases  there 
may  have  been  interrelations  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  story.  But  inasmuch  as  all  such 
passages  are  to  be  regarded  as  of  a  later  date, 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  allowing  them  to  have 
been  influenced  by  the  other  versions,  espe- 
cially while  the  prototypes  of  these  were  still 
in  an  oral  form. 

When  the  Jerusalem  narrative  is  considered 
by  itself,  the  other  issue  becomes  emphasized. 
How  is  it  that  a  document  of  such  early  date 
so  little  influenced  the  Synoptic.'^  The  question 
thus  raised  is  a  vital  one,  which  requires  an 
explicit  answer.  Upon  the  adequacy  of  this 
answer  will  depend  in  large  measure  the  validity 
of  the  present  theory.  Certain  preHminary 
considerations  are  helpful. 

The  chronological  contrast  disappears  in  the 
light  of  the  present  analysis.  This  is  because 
the  various  incidents  which  have  given  rise 
to  the  so-called  Johannine  chronology  are  seen 
to  be  inserted  by  the  compiler  for  topical  rea- 
sons, and  are  therefore  devoid  of  chronological 
authority.  When  we  deal  with  the  Jerusalem 
Gospel  alone,  the  data  fits  in  a  remarkable  way 
the  scheme  as  indicated  by  the  Synoptics.    This 

383 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

reconciliation  of  the  conflicting  claims  is  pre- 
cisely in  accord  with  the  conclusions  reached  by 
other  scholars  on  other  grounds.  It  is  at  once 
an  answer  to  the  objection  of  discord  between 
John  and  the  other  authorities,  and  a  positive 
argument  for  the  authenticity  of  the  text. 

It  deserves  therefore  a  larger  setting.  The 
usual  scheme  for  chronological  analysis  deals 
with  the  great  Jewish  feasts.  The  crowds 
which  thronged  the  Baptist  may  be  conceived 
to  have  been  in  part  those  in  attendance  upon 
the  great  Passover  Feast.  This  would  have 
brought  the  little  band  of  Galilean  fishermen 
into  contact  with  the  great  Preacher.  It  marks 
in  a  general  way  the  introduction  of  Jesus  to 
the  world.  Thereafter  follows  the  wilderness 
sojourn,  and  the  beginnings  of  the  Judsean 
ministry,  including  attendance  at  the  Feast  of 
the  Tabernacles  some  six  months  later.  The 
affirmation  of  the  Jerusalem  Gospel  agrees  per- 
fectly with  the  intimation  of  the  Synoptics  as 
to  the  fact  of  such  an  early  ministry. 

Certain  drastic  events  led  Jesus  to  leave 
Judsea  and  pass  to  Galilee.  These  events  are 
variously,  but  not  divergently,  stated  in  the 
several  accounts.  Coming  to  Galilee,  He  calls 
the  disciples  to  a  permament  following  of 
Himself,  and  begins  to  build  the  apostolate. 
Then  follows  the  active  ministry  in  Galilee, 
which  bulks  so  largely  in  the  Synoptic  account. 

384 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

When  the  season  of  the  Passover  again  arrives, 
we  may  assume  that  Jesus,  with  His  disciples, 
went  up  to  Jerusalem.  The  Synoptics  do  not 
state  such  a  journey,  but  the  obvious  custom 
of  the  times  emphasizes  the  clear  statement  of 
the  Jerusalem  narrative.  This  visit  was  at  best 
brief,  and  characterized  by  but  a  few  incidents. 
Hence  it  is  little  more  than  an  interlude  in  the 
Galilean  ministry. 

The  Galilean  ministry  presently  changed 
its  form.  The  Twelve  had  become  suflBciently 
informed  as  to  the  Master's  thought  and  pur- 
pose to  be  intrusted  with  some  campaigning  of 
their  own.  Accordingly  He  sends  them  forth 
to  tour  Galilee.  The  careful  instructions  which 
He  gives  them  and  the  general  character  of 
the  enterprise,  as  well  as  the  report  asked  for 
upon  their  return,  indicate  the  lapse  of  a  con- 
siderable period.  During  this  interval*  there 
is  time  for  the  later  Judsean  ministry,  which 
centers  principally  in  the  great  feasts.  So  there 
is  the  private  journey  of  Jesus,  accompanied  by 
two  of  His  disciples,  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  to 
Jerusalem  for  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles.  The 
immediate  work  in  Jerusalem  may  have  been 
somewhat  extended,  or  it  may  have  been 
broken  by  the  ministry  in  Peraea,  of  which  Luke 
gives  an  account,  and  which  is  neglected  by 
the  accounts  in  Matthew  and  Mark.     At  all 

*  Cf .  New  Light  on  the  Life  of  Jesus.     Dr.  C.  A.  Briggs,  p.  40  seq. 

25  385 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

events,  Jesus  is  in  Jerusalem  for  the  Feast  of 
Dedication  in  December.  The  Jerusalem  au- 
thorities are  aroused  to  action,  and  when,  from 
His  temporary  place  of  retirement  beyond  Jor- 
dan, come  reports  of  His  growing  favor,  they 
pass  definite  edicts  of  outlawry  against  Him. 

Jesus  sweeps  northward  to  rejoin  His  dis- 
ciples, receives  their  report,  tours  Galilee,  even 
to  its  northern  environs,  and  develops  the  en- 
thusiasm of  this  people  in  anticipation  of  the 
conflict  in  Jerusalem.  These  preparations  made. 
He  turns  again  southward  for  the  Passover 
season. 

Thereafter  the  two  accounts  run  parallel, 
except  as  to  the  date  of  the  crucifixion,  which 
modern  scholarship  now  agrees  is  correctly  re- 
ported by  the  Jerusalem  Gospel,  thus  unwil- 
lingly   testifying    to    its    peculiar    authenticity. 

The  entire  ministry  of  Jesus  is  thus  com- 
prehended under  two  years,  and  by  fixing  the 
Baptist's  appearance  at  tabernacles  in  place  of 
the  Passover,  it  may  even  be  shortened  to 
eighteen  months.  But  the  whole  scheme  of 
the  ministry  is  remarkably  intelligible,  and 
events  move  with  masterly  determination.  The 
ministry  becomes  a  campaign,  in  which  every 
change  of  base  has  a  reason,  and  the  whimsical 
and  desultory  wanderings  as  commonly  con- 
ceived become  ordered  and  important  move- 
ments. 

386 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

Thus  the  argument  from  chronology,  in- 
stead of  being  against  the  present  analysis,  is 
in  reality  one  of  the  most  elaborate  bits  of 
evidence  in  its  favor. 

It  remains  then  to  account  for  the  fact  that 
the  ground  work  of  the  Synoptics  ignores  the 
data  presented  in  the  Jerusalem  Gospel  in  large 
degree.  It  is,  however,  to  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  inference  from  this  fact  can  not  be 
pressed  too  far,  or  else  it  will  prove  too  much. 
The  clear  implication  of  the  Ur-Marcus  is  that 
there  was  a  Judeean  ministry.  Why  then  does 
the  Ur-Marcus  ignore  it.^  Not  why  does  it  ig- 
nore an  account  of  that  ministry,  but  why  does 
it  ignore  the  fact.^^  Thus  whether  we  postu- 
late the  Jerusalem  Gospel  as  an  early  document 
or  not,  we  have  much  the  same  problem.  It 
might  be  an  answer  to  this  question  to  say  that, 
since  these  events  had  been  adequately  pre- 
sented, it  was  unnecessary  for  the  writer  of 
the  Ur-Marcus  to  renarrate  them.  Thus  the 
present  hypothesis  becomes  an  element  in  a 
rational  explanation  of  the  situation.  But  the 
real  reason  for  this  restriction  of  the  Ur-Marcus 
becomes  apparent  when  we  examine  its  nature 
and  real  character.  After  the  briefest  intro- 
duction of  Jesus  in  His  relation  to  John  the 
Baptist,  the  narrative  passes  to  the  definite 
calling  of  the  men  who  were  to  be  trained  for 
discipleship.     Thereafter  these  men  are  in  con- 

387 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

tinuous  evidence.  The  narrative  centers  in 
their  association  with  the  Master.  Practically 
everything  which  is  recorded  transpires  in  their 
presence.  It  is  nothing  other  than  a  *' Nar- 
rative of  The  Twelve."  *  In  accordance  with 
these  limitations,  the  record  omits  the  adven- 
tures of  The  Twelve  when  apart  from  Jesus,  and 
likewise  His  experiences  when  away  from  them. 
Thus  the  Persean  ministry,  of  which  Luke  se- 
cured some  items,  is  neglected,  as  also  the  in- 
termediate Jerusalem  activity.  None  the  less 
the  narrative  recognizes  the  situation  which 
these  developments  had  produced.  A  Master 
who  tells  them  of  an  impending  crucifixion,  is 
none  other  than  One  who  has  returned  from  an 
ineffectual  effort  to  win  the  adherence  of  Zion. 
The  details  of  the  account  of  the  invasion  of 
Jerusalem  vary  in  important  particulars;  and 
here  there  is  a  real  problem.  It  may  be  a  suffi- 
cient answer  to  say  that  the  variations  are 
seldom  contradictions;  that  the  agreements  are 
many  and  natural;  that  having  begun  an  in- 
dependent narrative,  it  may  easily  have  seemed 
wise  to  write  it  to  the  end  in  the  same  spirit. 
In  any  event,  the  problem  is  less  serious  than 
the  alternative  one,  which  inquires  on  the  sup- 
position of  the  priority  of  the  Synoptics,  how 
the  Jerusalem  Gospel  differed  from  their  story. 

*Note  20. 

388 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

In  such  a  fashion  does  the  divergence  of  the 
two  accounts  cease  to  have  polemic  power. 
It  becomes  rather  a  case  for  careful  investiga- 
tion by  scholars;  an  investigation  which  must 
acknowledge  the  possibility  of  the  interpreta- 
tion here  suggested,  and  give  it  equal  consider- 
ation. So  much  must  be  expected  in  the  light 
of  the  removal  of  the  two  powerful  objec- 
tions which  have  heretofore  weighed  so  heavily 
against  the  historicity  of  the  Fourth  Gospel, 
but  which  are  robbed  of  their  power,  as  against 
the  Jerusalem  Gospel. 

One  further  objection  requires  to  be  set  in 
this  new  light.  It  has  been  urged  that  the  Jesus 
of  the  Synoptic  Gospels  is  profoundly  different 
from  the  Jesus  of  the  Fourth  Gospel.  So  far 
as  this  is  to  be  urged  against  the  idea  of  self- 
revelation  embodied  in  the  Oracles,  it  requires 
a  special  consideration;  but  even  then  it  is 
only  a  question  of  a  personality  sufficiently 
broad  to  cover  the  contents  of  the  two  records. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  manner  and  method  of 
Jesus  is  now  discerned  to  be  the  same.  The 
so-called  long  discourses,  breaking  up  into 
briefer  Logia,  which  have  the  same  characteris- 
tics of  form  as  have  the  Logia  of  the  Synoptics. 
There  is  no  greater  differences  between  the 
prosody  of  the  Oracles  and  the  precepts  of  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  than  there  is  between 
these   same   precepts   and   the   parables.     We 

389 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

have  indeed  variety,  but  it  is  the  variety  of 
poetic  genius.  Close  analysis  shows  that  the 
verbal  felicity  and  balanced  phrases  of  the 
Oracles  have  the  essential  qualities  of  poetry 
n  definitely  as  have  the  similes  of  the  Logia. 

In  the  Jerusalem  Gospel,  the  use  made  of 
such  poetic  passages  is  closely  akin  to  the  use 
indicated  in  the  Synoptics.  The  whole  method 
is  essentially  the  same,  whether  in  the  Galilean 
ministry  of  helpful  exhortation,  or  in  the 
Judsean  campaign  of  controversy.  And  this 
hints  at  the  difference  in  matter.  In  the  one 
case  His  authority  was  accepted,  and  He  was 
free  to  deliver  His  ethical  message.  In  the  other 
He  was  sharply  challenged  and  thrown  back 
upon  the  question  of  personality  and  position. 
Under  these  circumstances,  a  new  element  comes 
to  the  front.  It  is  an  easy  matter  for  any  one 
to  magnify  this  inevitable  difference  in  such  a 
way  as  to  make  it  appear  an  irreconcilable  con- 
trast. But  the  substance  is  supplemental,  rather 
than  diverse,  and  becomes  an  added  evidence  of 
authenticity. 

Passing  from  the  rebuttal  of  these  several 
objections  to  the  positive  argument,  it  becomes 
convenient  to  present  this  under  three  main 
heads : 

1. — The  reconciliation  of  the  traditions. 

2. — The  interpretation  of  the  historical  situation. 

3. — The  solution  of  the  textual  problem. 

390 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

The  long  tradition  of  the  Church  has  assigned 
the  authorship  of  the  Fourth  Gospel  to  the 
Apostle  John.  Polemical  reasons  first  challenged 
this  tradition,  but  the  researches  of  scholars 
presently  discriminated  data  in  such  a  way  as 
to  raise  the  question  from  an  unpartisan  point 
of  view.  These  researches  pointed  out  the  di- 
verse nature  of  the  earliest  tradition.  On  the 
one  hand,  it  was  asserted  by  the  earliest  writers 
that  John  was  a  martyr  to  the  fury  of  the  Jews; 
on  the  other,  that  he  lived  to  an  old  age  as  the 
resident  Bishop  of  Ephesus.  The  contradiction 
of  these  traditions  was  naively  bridged  by  the 
early  Church  by  stories  of  his  passing  from  the 
ordeal  of  death  unscathed.  This  in  itself  is  a 
certain  confirmation  of  the  earliest  stories  of 
his    martyrdom. 

The  Ephesian  story  is  in  reality  based  upon 
two  indisputable  facts:  The  long  residence  in 
that  city  of  a  great  Church  leader  named  John,* 
a  man  who  had  seen  the  Lord,  and  who  was  held 
in  the  highest  repute,  is  one  of  the  evident 
truths  of  that  far-off  time.  It  is  equally  true 
that  the  Fourth  Gospel  was  given  to  the  world 
from  the  Ephesian  circle.  There  was  little  else 
to  do  under  these  circumstances  than  to  draw 
the  conclusion  that  this  Ephesian  John  was  the 
apostle  to  whom  the  book  was  attributed,  and 

*  Note  21. 

391 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

to  reconcile  the  martyr  tradition  as  best  faith 

and  creduHty  could  contrive. 

Heretofore  it  has  seemed  necessary  to  reject 

one  or  the  other  of  these  two  traditions.     The 

present   hypothesis   unites   them   in   a   natural 

way  that  explicates  all  the  available  data.     It 

is   to   be  borne   in  mind   that  early   tradition 

affirms   the  writing  of  the   Gospel  before  the 

apostles  were  scattered  from  Jerusalem.     The 

implication  of  the  passage  which  records  this 

tradition,    indicates    an    early    date,    indeed    a 

date  presumably  antecedent  to  any  other  Gospel 

writing.     The  passage  in  question  is  from  the 

Muratorian  Fragment,  and  reads  as  follows: 

"When  his  fellow  disciples  and  bishops  exhorted 
him,  he  said,  'Fast  with  me  for  three  days  from  to-day, 
and  let  us  tell  one  another  what  may  be  revealed  to  any 
one  of  us.'  That  very  night  it  was  revealed  to  Andrew, 
one  of  the  apostles,  that  John  was  to  narrate  all  in  his 
own  name,  while  they  were  all  to  revise  it," 

It  is  quite  possible  to  deny  the  authority  of 
this  passage  and  to  scout  it  as  a  late  tradition, 
but  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  those  who  do  so 
can  at  the  same  time  attach  great  importance 
to  other  statements  in  the  same  document. 
The  document,  however,  has  a  high  rank  as 
evidence  of  the  canon,  and  is  generally  con- 
ceived in  sober  terms.  At  the  very  least,  it 
attests  the  acceptance  of  a  tradition  for  the 
Judsean  authorship  of  the  Book.  Its  contra- 
vention to  the  Ephesian  theory,  long  dominant, 

392 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

indicates  that  it  is  an  early  survival,  rather 
than  a  late  fabrication. 

It  is,  however,  at  once  evident  that  the  con- 
ception of  the  Jerusalem  Gospel,  written,  first 
of  all  the  records,  by  the  Apostle  John,  prior  to 
the  scattering  of  the  apostles,  and  perhaps 
even  prior  to  the  persecution  under  Saul  of 
Tarsus,  completely  interprets  the  tradition. 
Even  the  conception  of  the  apostle's  martyr- 
dom at  the  hands  of  the  Jews  does  not  invali- 
date, but  confirms  the  hypothesis.  Whatever 
accretions  might  come  with  the  years,  it  would 
remain  John's  Gospel,  more  truly  so  than  in 
the  case  of  Matthew,  who  only  mediated  the 
Logia  of  his  Master. 

Under  any  hypothesis  as  to  origin,  it  is  con- 
ceded that  such  accretions  occurred,  the  several 
theories  varying  only  as  to  their  extent.  It  is 
also  evident  from  the  language  of  the  Gospel 
that  it  was  issued  in  its  present  form  after  the 
death  of  the  one  who  composed  its  ground  work. 
It  has,  under  the  theory  of  the  Ephesian  John, 
been  conceived  that  the  writer  of  the  appendix 
was  personally  connected  with  the  real  author, 
and  from  his  personal  knowledge  could  vouch 
for  its  authenticity.  This  voucher  is  in  itself 
significant.  It  is  on  the  face  of  it  the  authenti- 
cation of  a  document  which,  for  one  or  another 
reason,  has  not  been  known  by  the  general 
public  among  whom  it  is  about  to  circulate. 

393 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

If  the  Jerusalem  Gospel,  after  the  lapse  of  time, 
had  been  rescued  from  comparative  obscurity 
and  given  a  Greek  dress,  such  language  could 
not  have  been  more  appropriate.  But  the 
personal  relation  between  the  editor  and  the 
writer  need  not  have  been  recent.  Quite  con- 
ceivably, there  may  have  been  an  interim  of 
decades  even.  There  is  nothing  apparent 
except  the  fact  that  the  beloved  disciple  has 
passed  away,  and  that  this  friend  asserts  his 
authorship.  Thus  the  earliest  of  all  the  tradi- 
tions accords  with  the  theory  of  the  early  writ- 
ing of  a  portion  of  the  book. 

But  the  editorial  work  was  of  intense  im- 
portance. Not  only  were  certain  tracts  of  a 
narrative  character  incorporated  in  the  text, 
but  following  the  analogy  of  Matthew,  certain 
Oracles  of  Jesus  were  also  fused  with  the  Gospel 
story,  and  these  Oracles  were  such  as  had  not 
till  then  been  widely  available,  but  circulating 
mainly  within  the  inner  circle  of  the  disciples. 
A  book  which  gave  them  a  wide  circulation 
among  the  Gentile  Churches  would  date  from 
this  period,  rather  than  from  its  earlier  ante- 
cedents. Thus  beyond  question  the  Gospel 
according  to  John  would  come  into  its  own 
from  the  time  of  its  promulgation  at  Ephesus. 
This  association  would  be  a  sufficient  basis  for 
the  tradition  of  the  writing  the  book  in  that 
place. 

394 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

The  tradition  becomes  inevitable  when  it 
is  recognized  that  there  was  in  Asia  Minor  a 
second  John,  Hving  in  such  repute  as  pertained 
to  one  who  had  seen  the  Lord.  That  this  man 
was  engaged  in  literary  activity,  seems  entirely 
clear;  that  he  may  have  had  a  hand  in  fashion- 
ing the  Gospel,  is  quite  possible.  Granting,  for 
the  sake  of  imaginative  reconstruction  of  a 
possible  situation,  that  he  in  the  days  of  his 
Palestinian  life  had  been  an  intimate  of  the 
Apostle  John,  that  in  any  event  he  had  come  to 
appreciate  and  to  treasure  the  Jerusalem  Gospel 
and  the  Oracles  of  the  Master,  that  as  a  man  of 
literary  instinct  he  had  made  his  collection  of 
the  Gospel  tracts,  perhaps  had  written  some  of 
them,  certainly  was  familiar  with  the  oral  tra- 
ditions which  had  the  Jerusalem  flavor,  that 
such  a  man  became  in  due  time  resident  in 
Ephesus  or  elsewhere  in  Asia  Minor,  writes  the 
Apocalypse,  and  rises  to  literary  deanship  of 
the  Church  in  the  new  land.  As  he  nears  the 
end  of  his  course,  he  thinks  to  render  one  other 
service  to  the  Church.  Accordingly,  he  com- 
piles the  several  documents  in  his  possession, 
causes  them  to  be  rendered  into  better  Greek 
than  he  himself  can  write,  and  with  the  most 
solemn  assurance  of  their  apostolic  authority 
and  authenticity,  sends  the  new  book  forth  to 
the  ecclesiastical  world. 

In  such  an  hypothesis,  doing  violence  to  no 
395 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

statement  of  antiquity,  affording  a  basis  for 
the  confusion  of  the  two  Johns  which  has 
actually  taken  place,  we  have  the  explanation  of 
the  immediate  acceptance  of  the  Fourth  Gospel 
by  the  Church,  in  spite  of  its  notable  difference 
from  the  three  already  in  circulation  among  the 
Gentile  Churches.  Such  acceptance  of  the  book 
by  the  Churches  is  in  itself  a  strong  evidence 
of  the  genuineness  of  the  ascription  to  the 
apostle. 

In  such  a  wise  does  the  hypothesis  which 
has  developed  from  the  literary  analysis  of  the 
Book  reconcile  the  conflicting  statements  of 
tradition.  On  the  basis  of  the  Ephesian  pub- 
lication of  the  Fourth  Gospel,  one  party  has 
assumed  an  Ephesian  apostle,  and  done  despite 
to  certain  tradition.  On  the  same  basis,  an- 
other party  has  denied  apostolic  authorship, 
and  conserved  the  tradition  of  his  martyrdom 
at  the  expense  of  his  authority  as  an  evangelist. 
Now  it  appears  that  all  traditions  may  be  con- 
served and  every  vital  fact  of  apostolic  authority 
for  the  Gospel  be  preserved.  This  would  seem 
to  set  any  hypothesis  so  accomplishing  such 
results  in  a  favorable  light  before  the  critical 
scholarship  of  the  Church. 

The  second  general  argument  centers  in  the 
interpretation  of  historical  situations.  By  this 
is  meant  the  light  which  the  present  theory 
throws    upon    situations    which    are    otherwise 

396 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

obscure  or  even  enigmatic.  The  particular 
situations  which  are  thus  illumined  are  eight 
in  number,  and  may  be  considered  in  chrono- 
logical sequence: 

1. — The  formal  teaching  of  Jesus. 

2. — The  cause  of  His  death. 

3. — The  new  attitude  of  worship. 

4. — The  earliest  apologetic. 

5. — The  definiteness  of  Apostolic  teaching. 

6. — The  origin  of  the  Pauline  idea. 

7. — The  development  of  Christian  literature. 

8. — The  acceptance  of  the  Fourth  Gospel. 

Each  of  these  problems  is  of  prime  impor- 
tance, and^the  uncertainty  concerning  them  has 
been  a  chief  source  of  confusion,  and  a  cause  of 
the  divisions  among  critics  and  historians.  It 
is  not  too  much  to  say  that  to  attain  definite- 
ness concerning  the  series  of  events  is  prac- 
tically to  determine  the  manner  and  course  of 
early  Christian  history.  This  has  heretofore 
been  so  largely  Pauline  as  to  set  that  great  soul 
in  comparative  rivalry  with  the  Christ  whom 
he  served  with  all  the  ardor  of  his  passionate 
heart.  The  injustice  to  Paul  by  such  an  inter- 
pretation is  scarcely  less  than  the  unfairness  to 
the  other  contributors  to  the  great  develop- 
ments of  those  days. 

1.    The  Formal  Teaching  of  Jesus. 

The  Gospels  unite  in  the  presentation  of 
Jesus  as  a  great  Teacher,  a  Rabbi  recognized  of 
men;  one  whose  word  possessed  an  authority 

397 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

which  was  self -derived,  and  which  set  Him  in 
constant  conflict  with  the  mere  commentators 
and  legahsts  of  His  time.  The  common  people 
heard  Him  gladly;  many  treasured  up  His 
thought  and  questioned  Him  concerning  it. 
His  disciples  were  drawn  to  Him  in  close  at- 
tendance that  they  might  master  His  "Gospel." 
He  Himself  attached  great  importance  to  His 
"word."  This  is  not  the  view  of  one  inter- 
preter, but  of  all  the  Gospel  writers.  Since  this 
was  the  case,  it  becomes  a  problem  of  great 
historical  importance  to  determine  the  form  of 
that  teaching.  The  vaguest  conceptions  have 
been  current.  It  has  commonly  been  conceived 
that  this  teaching  was  but  casual,  and  that  His 
disciples  remembered  such  of  it  as  they  chanced 
to  be  able,  and  after  His  death  gave  currency 
to  their  reminiscences.  But  this  is  quite  to 
ignore  the  actual  record  itself.  This  shows 
that  the  Master  urged  the  committing  of  His 
"words"  to  memory.  How  could  this  be 
achieved  unless  they  were  definitely  and  formally 
expressed  .^^  It  shows  that  the  disciples  consulted 
Him  with  reference  to  the  interpretation  of 
certain  Logia,  and  did  this  by  reference  to  its 
opening  lines,*  quite  as  one  may  refer  to  well- 
known  hymns  in  such  a  fashion.  It  shows  a 
further  tendency  in  the  later  years  to  refer  to 
the  words  of  Jesus  as  to  definitely  recognized 

*  Note  22. 

398 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

body  of  truth.  These  attitudes  are  not  con- 
sonant with  the  idea  that  the  teaching  of  Jesus 
was  merely  casual  and  ephemeral  in  form. 

So  also  when  we  consider  the  tremendous 
transcendent  and  transforming  ethical  power  of 
the  teaching  of  Jesus,  as  evidenced  by  the  lives 
of  His  followers,  we  hesitate  to  attribute  this 
to  the  mere  reminiscences  of  a  few  devoted 
friends.  There  is  evident  the  careful  con- 
formity to  a  definite  body  of  ethical  teaching, 
which  is  the  cause  and  not  the  result  of  such 
living.  The  whole  situation  requires  the  recog- 
nition of  definite  teaching  of  Jesus,  and  this  can 
only  be  assured  on  the  basis  of  the  careful  com- 
position of  His  formal  utterance. 

Nor  is  it  conceivable  that  having  such  care- 
fully composed  literary  expressions,  they  should 
have  been  ignored  by  His  disciples  and  handed 
down  in  merest  fragments,  so  that  in  order  to 
get  a  view  of  His  real  teaching,  critics  are  com- 
pelled with  what  indescribable  labor  and  in- 
genuity to  piece  together  His  Oracles  from  the 
several  records,  eliminating  here  and  adding 
there,  and  surmising  this  or  conjecturing  that. 
On  the  contrary,  such  discipleship  as  the  record 
evidences  held  the  Master  in  such  a  reverence 
that  His  words  became  to  them  sacred  Oracles, 
and  instantly  assumed  parity  with  the  Scrip- 
tures of  their  race.  We  have  a  right  to  expect 
their  preservation   in   reasonable  entirety   and 

399 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

with  a  survival  of  form  which  shall  authenticate 
them  to  us.  This  expectation  is  met  for  the 
first  time  in  the  hypothesis  which  is  here  pre- 
sented. 

2.    The  Cause  of  the  Death  of  Jesus. 

In  the  Synoptic  Gospels,  Jesus  appears  as 
the  successful  prophet  of  Galilee,  practically  at 
all  times  in  high  favor  with  the  people;  an 
ethical  Teacher,  whose  stringent  morality  might 
shame  the  hierarchy,  but  whose  truths  could  not 
be  denied;  so  far  as  He  conflicts  with  the  Phar- 
isees, it  is  as  a  satirist,  whose  attacks  might 
sting,  but  were  scarcely  worthy  of  deadly  op- 
position. At  the  head  of  a  jubilant  following, 
He  appears  at  Jerusalem,  engages  in  public 
controversy  with  the  Judsean  authorities,  and 
within  the  week  is  put  to  death. 

There  is  no  intimation  of  the  passions  which 
justified  this  deadly  hostility;  no  indication  of 
the  steady  antagonism  grown  through  the 
months  to  such  huge  proportions  as  to  become 
a  national  issue.  The  whole  presentation  pre- 
supposes a  knowledge  of  other  chapters  of  his- 
tory. When,  however,  the  Jerusalem  Gospel 
is  read,  the  drama  becomes  clear,  and  with  the 
steady  movement  of  fateful  forces,  it  proceeds 
to  its  dreadful  climax.  There  is  from  the  first 
the  setting  of  Himself  above  the  traditions  of 
the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees,  the  challenging 

400 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

of  accepted  customs,  the  assertion  in  contro- 
versy of  His  divine  commission,  the  gradual 
unveiHng  of  His  Messianic  claims,  the  straight 
issue  which  threatens  the  supremacy  of  the 
priesthood.  We  see  the  malignant  working  of 
the  opposition;  His  outlawry  with  a  price  on 
His  head;  His  high  courage  and  the  daring  of 
His  plans,  as  well  as  the  magnificent  sweep  of 
His  final  campaign.  The  picture  is  complete. 
It  is  the  more  complete  for  the  elimination  on 
literary  grounds  of  the  retarding  incidents 
which  complicate  the  presentation  of  natural 
sequences  and  intrude  later  conceptions  in  the 
foreground  of  the  narrative. 

Under  these  circumstances,  we  no  longer 
wonder  at  the  development  of  history;  it  is  all 
so  natural,  so  compelling,  as  to  be  beyond  the 
imaginative  powers  of  any  writer.  Jesus  ap- 
pears as  the  great  Protagonist  of  a  tragedy  in- 
calculably great.  To  conceive  that  this  inter- 
pretation was  supplied  after  the  lapse  of  decades, 
is  to  trifle  with  verities.  It  is  to  substitute  an 
enigma  for  what  is  otherwise  one  of  the  clearest 
and  most  definite  presentments  of  history.  It 
is  to  create  a  problem  where  none  was  before. 

The  issue  of  events  is  unquestioned.  Under 
one  view,  the  stream  of  influence  which  flows 
in  so  broad  a  tide  through  Galilee  becomes 
suddenly  subterranean,  until  it  issues  at  the 
foot  of  the  cross  in  a  ruddy  flood  that  flows 
26  401 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

undiminished  across  the  ages.  Under  the  other 
view,  the  turbulent  waters  gather  and  dash 
and  foam  across  the  pages  of  controversy.  The 
whole  course  is  clear. 

3.    The  Attitude  of  Worship. 

It  is  quite  evident  that  the  earliest  records 
of  the  Church  show  the  Christians  to  be  char- 
acterized by  an  attitude  of  worship  of  Jesus. 
There  may  indeed  be  some  controversy  as  to 
the  measure  of  this  conception,  as  to  the  exact 
date  when  He  became  recognized  as  a  part  of 
the  Godhead;  but  none  the  less,  the  very  ear- 
liest attitude  of  the  Christians  clearly  recognized 
the  divinity  of  Jesus.  Here  is  a  transition 
from  the  presentation  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels. 
Through  their  pages  He  moves  with  a  gracious 
mien  indeed,  endowed  with  supernatural  powers, 
the  expected  Messiah  of  His  race.  But  from 
this  it  is  a  far  cry  to  an  attitude  which  bows 
before  Him  in  genuine  worship.  This  also  is  an 
historical  problem  which  requires  explication. 

It  does  not  help  to  say  that  divinity  was  an 
easily  attained  conception  in  a  pagan  age,  when 
emperors  were  deified  and  great  men  of  every 
kind  were  esteemed  demi-gods.  These  disciples 
were  free  from  the  touch  of  paganism;  they 
were  trained  in  the  traditions  of  the  Jews,  with 
the  long  roll  of  martyrs  to  the  idea  of  mono- 
theism; they  had  the  pure  ethical  teaching  of 

402 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

their  Master;  they  were  at  the  antipodes  of 
paganism.  Yet  it  is  precisely  these  men,  who 
exalt  One  with  whom  they  had  been  on  terms  of 
the  most  homely  intimacy,  to  the  highest  Deity 
which  their  minds  could  conceive.  Nor  is  this 
change  gradual;  it  seems  to  have  reached  its 
climax  in  a  few  weeks  after  the  crucifixion. 
The  juxtaposition  with  this  event  makes  the 
achievement  all  the  more  significant. 

Commonly  the  explanation  which  has  seemed 
to  suflSce  has  been  that  the  resurrection  wrought 
this  marvelous  change.  Nor  is  this  influence 
to  be  in  any  way  minimized.  But  it  may  be 
doubted  whether  the  resurrection  as  a  mere 
fact  could  have  been  adequate.  He  would  then 
have  appeared  to  His  disciples  as  a  risen  Teacher, 
a  glorified  Messiah,  a  promise  of  immortality. 
But  between  these  things  and  divinity  there  is 
no  necessary  connection.  It  was  an  inference 
too  great  for  the  mind  of  any  Jew. 

But  when  the  Oracles  of  self-revelation  are 
recognized  as  being  for  the  first  time  under- 
stood under  the  new  conditions,  when  we  see 
that  what  had  seemed  merely  a  "dark  saying" 
to  puzzle  the  mind  of  the  disciples,  now  became 
luminous  and  significant;  when  to  the  sayings 
already  common  property  are  added  post- 
humous Oracles  mediated  through  His  inti- 
mately loved  friend,  the  Apostle  John;  when 
the  burden  of  the  soul  declaration  is  His  own 

403 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

divine  personality,  then  it  becomes  clear  that 
the  attitude  of  worship  was  not  only  natural, 
but  inevitable. 

It  is  precisely  because  of  this  that  the  Fourth 
Gospel  has  been  subject  to  such  tremendous 
critical  attack.  The  implications  of  the  Book 
have  been  so  high,  that  to  those  who  wished 
freedom  from  accepting  their  authority  there 
was  no  alternative  but  an  attack  upon  the 
authority  of  the  text  itself.  Under  the  present 
hypothesis,  these  high  utterances  are  brought 
to  the  very  lips  of  Jesus  Himself,  without  the 
intervention  of  human  modifications.  They 
fitly  interpret  the  enigma  of  Christian  worship. 

4.    The  Earliest  Apologetic. 

Very  early  in  the  history  of  the  Christian 
Church  the  records  tell  of  a  striking  scene,  in 
which  the  leading  apostles  are  confronted  by 
the  high  priest  with  this  charge: 

"Behold  you  have  filled  Jerusalem  with  your  teach- 
ing, and  intend  to  bring  this  Man's  blood  upon  us." 
But  Peter  and  the  apostles  answered.  "We  must  obey 
God  rather  than  men.  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised 
up  Jesus,  whom  you  slew,  hanging  Him  on  a  tree.  Him 
did  God  exalt  with  His  right  hand,  a  Prince  and  a  Savior, 
to  give  repentance  to  Israel  and  remission  of  sins. 
And  we  are  witnesses  of  these  things,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  whom  God  has  given  to  them  that  obey  Him." 

This  is  typical  of  the  earliest  apologetic. 
It  presents  a  situation  in  which  emphasis  is 

404 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

placed  upon  the  responsibility  of  the  hierarchy 
for  the  death  of  Jesus,  and  contrasts  therewith 
His  favor  with  God.  It  is  the  mental  attitude 
of  the  Jerusalem  Gospel;  so  much  so,  in  fact, 
that  the  words  from  the  Book  of  Acts  might 
well  be  used  as  an  introduction  to  the  Gospel 
narrative.  It  is  significant  also  that  only  at 
this  period  could  the  Church  have  had  the  keen 
interest  in  these  details.  When  men  were  view- 
ing Jesus  primarily  as  the  Messiah,  the  question 
uppermost  in  the  minds  of  any  convert  would 
be.  How  came  the  Messiah  to  be  crucified  at 
the  instigation  of  the  leaders  of  the  nation.'^ 
To  answer  this,  such  a  narrative  would  be  forth- 
coming: Tracing  the  relations  of  Jesus  to  the 
priests,  and  leaving  out  of  consideration  the 
popular  aspects  of  His  ministry.  It  would 
naturally  deal  with  the  events  transpiring  in 
Jerusalem,  and  would  scarcely  more  than  rec- 
ognize the  fact  of  the  Galilean  ministry.  This 
is  an  almost  inevitable  first  phase  of  presenta- 
tion of  the  Master's  life.  Never  again  did  the 
elements  so  focus  themselves  as  to  render  a 
Jerusalem  Gospel  a  natural  product  of  the  sit- 
uation. To  conceive  it  as  being  written  in  an 
ahen  land,  with  its  wealth  of  detail  concerning 
the  then  vanished  sacred  city,  is  to  imagine  a 
tour  de  force  of  the  most  remarkable  kind. 


405 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

5.   The  Definiteness  of  Apostolic 
Teaching. 

The  apostolic  group  consisted  of  eleven  men 
of  pronounced  personality,  whose  relations  to 
the  Master  had  been  of  a  varied  character. 
Each  of  these  possessed  a  teaching  authority  in 
his  own  right.  There  was  a  natural  subordina- 
tion to  Peter  and  John;  but  this  was  by  mutual 
consent,  and  not  of  authority.  The  status  of 
Peter  and  John  is  itself  suggestive.  The  former 
was  the  recognized  leader  of  the  group  and  had 
been  the  spokesman  when  they  reported  the 
results  of  the  mission  in  Galilee.  He  might 
have  been  expected  to  continue  in  such  a  rela- 
tion. But  the  sharing  of  his  position  with  the 
youngest  of  the  group  requires  an  explanation. 
This  is  at  hand  on  the  supposition  that  John 
mediated  the  Oracles  of  self-revelation  of  the 
Master,  and  out  of  his  personal  intimacy  was 
able  to  add  posthumous  sayings  which  illumined 
the  situation,  and  became  basic  to  the  new  con- 
ception of  the  Master. 

We  are  compelled  to  postulate  an  objective 
expression  of  the  Master's  truth  in  order  to 
explain  the  solidarity  of  influence  of  the  apostolic 
group.  Had  they  been  thrown  back  upon  per- 
sonal reminiscence,  each  man  must  have  in- 
sisted upon  his  own,  with  the  result  that  sooner 
or  later  there  would  have  arisen  divisions  in 

406 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

the  following  of  the  several  leaders.  Precisely 
this  occurs  so  soon  as  Paul  comes  to  leadership. 
But  on  the  whole,  the  unity  of  impression  and 
of  ethical  teaching  is  remarkable.  But  if  it  be 
understood  that  the  teaching  of  Jesus  had 
assumed  such  a  form  that  it  was  for  them  only 
to  deliver  it  to  others,  then  the  mystery  becomes 
a  commonplace. 

6.     The  Origin  of  the  Pauline  Idea. 

The  relation  of  the  Pauline  idea  to  that  of 
the  Jerusalem  Church  is  an  intensely  interest- 
ing study.  The  present  issue  deals  with  his 
conception  of  Jesus.  The  great  apostle  to  the 
Gentiles  has  beggared  language  in  expressing 
the  Deity  of  Jesus;  he  has  exalted  Him  to 
identity  with  the  Godhead.  Wherein  was  his 
warrant  for  such  a  conception.'^  On  the  one 
hand,  it  has  been  contended  that  he  originated 
this  interpretation  of  Jesus  as  a  result  of  his 
own  initial  vision.  On  the  other,  it  is  to  be 
noted  that  he  scarcely,  in  his  highest  flights, 
overtops  the  expressions  used  in  the  Oracles  of 
Jesus.  The  first  preaching*  of  the  converted 
Saul  is  said  to  have  centered  in  this  idea,  and 
this  before  he  had  opportunity  to  mature  a 
theology  of  his  own.  Under  these  circumstances 
it  may  be  assumed  that  he  simply  gave  aflBrm- 
ative  expression  to  views  which  he  had  pre- 

*Acts9:20. 

407 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

viously  combated.  He  was  thoroughly  con- 
versant with  the  ideas  of  the  new  faith,  and  the 
psychology  of  the  situation  implies  that  he 
accepted  it  without  reservation;  nor  could  he 
have  had  the  audacity  to  begin  immediate  and 
vital  modification.  It  appears,  indeed,  that 
his  preaching  was  acceptable  to  the  Jerusalem 
Church,  and  that  neither  then  nor  after  was  an 
issue  raised  on  what  must  have  been  the  most 
significant  of  all  his  innovations,  unless  it  had 
been  merely  the  ampler  expression  of  what  the 
Church  in  general  believed. 

That  the  Church  in  its  earliest  stages  ac- 
cepted this  interpretation  of  Jesus,  we  have  seen 
reason  to  believe.  What  it  is  important  now  to 
note,  is  the  fashion  in  which  the  one  situation 
merges  into  the  other.  How  completely  the 
problem  disappears  the  moment  we  conceive 
definite  Oracles  framed  by  Jesus  Himself,  which 
express  His  eternal  relations?  Under  these 
circumstances,  the  solution  of  what  is  elsewise 
a  problem  of  the  greatest  historic  intricacy,  be- 
comes an  element  in  the  argument. 

7.    The  Development  of  a  Christian 
Literature. 

The  facts  under  this  head  have  been  already 
noted.  It  has  been  customary  to  slur  these 
facts  and  to  give  them  a  minimum  place  in  the 
picture  of  the  Christian  Church.    The  apostolic 

408 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

group  is  conceived  to  have  been  largely  illiterate 
and  incapable  of  producing  a  great  literature; 
therefore  such  literature  must  be  of  a  second 
generation.  So  runs  the  argument.  But  it 
hurdles  many  a  notable  fact  in  its  course.  The 
use  of  songs  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs  at 
an  early  date  is  attested;*  the  existence  of 
varied  narratives  of  the  life  of  the  Master  is 
asserted  ;t  the  literary  quality  of  the  produc- 
tions that  have  survived  is  extraordinary — far 
higher  in  fact  than  that  of  the  succeeding  gen- 
erations. {  It  has  simplicity  and  grace  and 
power,  which  are  the  trinity  of  attributes  of  all 
immortal  literature.  The  rise  of  such  a  liter- 
ature is  an  enigma  under  the  ordinary  inter- 
pretation of  events.  But  under  the  conception 
that  the  Master  was  Himself  a  man  of  letters, 
using  the  noblest  forms  of  literature  with  great 
distinction;  that  He  made  such  uses  a  cardinal 
element  in  His  propaganda;  that  His  nearest 
friends  possessed  this  ability  in  some  degree,  and 
were  taught  by  His  example.  On  such  a  sup- 
position the  whole  situation  becomes  one  of 
orderly  development;  the  mystery  disappears. 
Christianity  is  seen  to  be  a  literary  movement, 
as  definitely  as  many  of  its  later  extraordinary 
manifestations.  This  accounts  for  its  solidarity; 
for  the  uniform  and  definite  impressions  which 

*  Col.  3:16.  t  Luke  1:1.  J  Cf .  Ignatian  Epistles. 

409 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

it  made  everywhere  that  it  flourished.  In  short, 
the  whole  Gospel  story  is  woven  of  the  same 
fabric. 

8.    The  Acceptance  of  the  Fourth 
Gospel. 

Critical  analysis  now  finds  evidence  in  un- 
suspected quarters  that  the  Fourth  Gospel  was 
widely  circulated  in  its  present  form  as  early 
as  the  year  110.  Its  promulgation  in  the  final 
form  could  hardly  have  occurred  much  earlier 
than  the  last  decade  of  the  previous  century. 
Therefore  it  is  clear  that  it  sprung  into  imme- 
diate prominence  and  into  acceptance  with  the 
Church.  When  its  marked  variation  from  the 
Synoptic  group  is  considered,  this  seems  an 
achievement  which  requires  an  explanation. 
The  most  natural  explanation  that  can  be  offered 
is  this:  That  the  Gospel  contained  documents 
previously  recognized  as  authoritative.  It  was, 
in  fact,  the  literary  contribution  of  the  Mother 
Church  to  the  Gentile  children.  Reasons  which 
had  in  the  earlier  years  rendered  desirable  the 
independence  of  the  Gentiles  from  these  Jerusa- 
lem influences  had  disappeared.  The  Mother 
Church  had  been  driven  from  its  habitation; 
it  was  a  wanderer  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and 
came  for  lodging  to  the  houses  of  its  children. 
Judaism  could  never  again  threaten  the  liberty 
of  the  Gentile  Christians.    So  these  gifts  which 

410 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

the  brethren  from  Jerusalem  brought  with  them 
were  greatly  welcome.  So  soon  as  they  were 
given  proper  form  for  currency  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, they  secured  an  instant  acceptance.  Here 
were  the  treasures  of  the  Master's  revelation 
which  had  been  embodied  in  such  ritual  as  the 
years  had  developed  and  as  the  norm  of  all 
theological  thinking.  These  which  had  been 
too  lofty  for  the  babes  of  the  earlier  day,  were 
now  appropriated  with  avidity  by  the  strong 
thinkers  who  were  molding  the  philosophy  of 
the  new  faith. 

Here  again  the  present  hypothesis  offers  a 
solution  of  a  problem  whose  intricacy  must  tax 
the  ingenuity  of  the  advocates  of  a  fabricated 
Fourth  Gospel.  The  evident  compilation  under 
semi-Grecian  influences  sufficiently  accounts  for 
all  the  later  manner  and  matter.  But  the  great 
soul  of  the  Book  is  authoritative  and  original 
with  Jesus  Himself. 

In  this  presentation  of  the  argument  from 
the  solution  of  the  problem  of  history  it  has 
not  been  intended  to  present  the  detailed  data 
which  justify  the  several  positions  taken,  but 
merely  to  afford  such  a  relating  of  the  hypoth- 
esis to  the  several  historical  situations  as  would 
justify  the  conception  that  the  hypothesis  is 
itself  in  the  direction  of  simplicity.  That  it 
resolves  difficulties  is  a  proof  of  the  same  type 
as  tends  to  the  acceptance  of  the  several  the- 

411 


DID   JESUS   WRITE   HIS   OWN   GOSPEL 

ories  which  come  up  from  time  to  time  in  the 
domain  of  natural  science.  In  its  cumulative 
effect,  such  evidence  is  the  highest  attainable 
proof. 

The  third  line  of  argument  centers  in  the 
solution  of  the  textual  problem.  This  is 
broader  than  the  relation  of  the  various  elements 
of  the  Fourth  Gospel  to  one  another.  It  deals 
with  the  development  of  the  several  Gospels, 
and  their  mutual  relations.  The  argument 
calls  for  such  a  detailed  examination  of  many 
passages  by  many  scholars.  In  this  stage  of  the 
hypothesis  it  can  only  be  suggested.  For 
example,  the  relation  of  the  non-Markan  pas- 
sages in  Luke  and  Matthew  is  a  matter  of 
importance.  The  tendency  in  certain  schools 
of  criticism  is  to  postulate  a  document  common 
to  both  texts,  and  containing  only  such  matter 
as  appears  in  common  or  whose  derivations  and 
antecedents  are  in  evidence.*  The  critical  ex- 
amination of  the  text  shows  almost  uniformly 
the  superiority  of  Matthew.  But  instead  of 
using  this  to  suggest  that  the  Matthsean  text  in 
its  entirety  may  have  been  the  original,  the 
critics  confine  themselves  to  a  meager  Matthew 
as  substantiated  by  the  repudiated  Luke,  thus 
reversing  their  logic.  The  present  study  which 
traces  the  parellelism  in  Matthew  adds  a  new 

*The  Sayings  of  Jesus.     Harnack.     Pp.  115,  117. 

412 


THE  HYPOTHESIS 

and  important  instrument  of  critical  investiga- 
tion. It  suggests  that  Luke  is  a  memetic  and 
localized  account  of  the  sayings  which  Matthew 
preserved  with  such  fidelity.  The  tangled 
skein  becomes  unraveled  in  the  light  of  this 
hypothesis.  The  many  significant  clues  must 
indeed  be  followed  to  their  end,  but  the  clarify- 
ing of  the  general  situation  and  the  substituting 
of  broad  and  discernible  relations  for  the  critical 
minutiae  which  in  the  past  has  been  made  to 
serve  every  shade  of  opinion,  is  a  substantiating 
achievement  worthy  of  consideration  as  a  pos- 
itive argument. 


413 


NOTES 

Note  1,  Page  11. 

The  present  thesis  is  a  combination  of  elements 
which,  separably,  have  had  abundant  recognition.  The 
elements  of  simile  and  felicity  of  phrase  which  abound 
in  the  teachings  of  Jesus  have  led  not  a  few  writers  to 
speak  of  the  poetry  of  Jesus.  But  they  have  done  this 
in  an  accommodated  sense,  as  men  might  call  Carlyle 
a  dramatic  poet.  So,  also,  some  of  the  Logia  have  been 
discriminated  and  their  parallelism  recognized;  but 
heretofore  it  has  failed  to  receive  careful  examination. 

Note  2,  Page  12. 

The  prevalence  of  the  Greek  language  may  be  fully 
recognized  without  implying  its  use  by  either  Jesus  or 
His  disciples  or  in  the  early  Church.  Every  indication 
restricts  the  earliest  gospel  literature  to  the  dialect  of 
Palestine;  and  it  emerged  into  the  Greek  only  through 
definite  translation.  This  is  the  more  evident  from  a 
study  of  the  "source"  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels. 

Note  3,  Page  19. 

The  exact  length  of  the  passages  which  are  here  dis- 
criminated is:  Matthaean  Logia,  455;  Parables,  543; 
Oracles,  445;  Fragments,  536;  total,  1,979  lines. 

Note  4,  Page  26. 

Recent  discoveries  show  that  the  folio  form  of  books 
had  come  into  use  much  earlier  than  has  been  under- 

415 


NOTES 

stood.  It  is  probable  that  the  wax  tablet  form  was  used 
for  the  briefer  memorabilia  and  epistles.  This  would 
involve  but  two  leaves  of  papyrus,  and  matches  ex- 
cellently many  of  the  literary  survivals.  A  page  of  the 
size  commonly  used  would  receive  from  one  hundred  to 
one  hundred  and  seventy -five  or  eighty  Greek  words; 
and  many  memoranda  are  uniformly  of  the  contents  of 
a  page.  This  is  particularly  true  of  the  Capernaum 
document. 

Note  5,  Page  32. 

The  geopraphical  characteristics  are  elaborately  dis- 
cussed by  Westcott  &  Hort  in  the  notes  accompanying 
their  edition  of  the  New  Testament. 

Note  6,  Page  63. 

The  folklore  element  in  the  Old  Testament  Is  es- 
pecially conspicuous.  In  this  connection  it  is  notable 
that  lacking  tales  of  ancestral  heroes  of  their  own, 
Bible  stories  have  tended  to  take  their  place  for  the 
American  people.  It  creates  a  situation  of  mixed 
psychological  and  literary  power.  Early  English  bards 
frequently  used  these  themes  as  substitutes  for  their 
own  heroic  tales. 

Note  7,  Page  85. 

The  common  authorship  of  the  Incidents  of  "The 
Samaritan  Woman"  and  of  "The  Bread  of  Life,"  is 
very  expressively  shown  by  the  analysis  of  their  con- 
tents and  dialectic,  as  presented  by  recent  authors. 

Jesus  refers  the  Samar-  Jesus  refers  the  Jews  to 

itan  woman  to  the  water  the  heavenly  bread  of 
of  eternal  life.  eternal  life. 

416 


NOTES 

She  refers  to  the  ances-  They  refer  to  the  man- 

tral   well  from   which   her       na  which  their  fathers  had 
fathers  had  drunk.  eaten. 

But  the  true  water  of  But  the  true  bread  of 

life  comes  from  Jesus.  life  is  Jesus  Himself. 

She  asks  for  it.  They  ask  for  it. 

The    food    of    Jesus —  The  object  of  Jesus  to 

obedience    to    the    Father  execute    the    will    of    the 

who  has  sent  Him.  Father  who  sent  Him. 

— Introduction  to  Literature  of  Neiv  Testament,  Moffatty 
p.  529. 

But  this  interesting  analysis  may  easily  be  pressed 
too  far.  The  parallel  is  probably  due  to  the  unconscious 
working  of  the  mind,  rather  than  to  a  deliberate  scheme. 
Both  incidents,  being  interpolations  and  of  a  late  date, 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  the  artificial  influ- 
ences in  their  production.  But  this  can  not  weigh  against 
the  early  writing  of  the  text  into  which  they  are  inter- 
polated. 

Note  8,  Page  89. 

The  suggestion  that  many  of  the  memorable  and  the 
longer  incidents  were  written  by  Philip,  has  much  to 
commend  it.  The  name  by  which  he  was  known,  the 
"Evangelist,"  has  its  best  interpretation  in  such  a 
fact.  He  was  in  touch  with  the  situation  in  Jerusalem 
from  the  earliest  years  of  the  Church.  His  interest  in 
the  Samaritans  is  clear;  and  his  broad  vision  of  Chris- 
tianity appears  in  several  instances.  Luke  was  in  con- 
tact with  him  at  a  later  date,  and  may  easily  have 
secured  special  material  which  he  has  used  in  his  Gospel 
and  in  the  book  of  Acts.  Tradition  reports  that  he  finally 
moved  to  Asia  Minor,  and  so  would  have  been  in  touch 

417 


NOTES 

with  the  Epheslan  circle,  from  which  the  final  Fourth 
Gospel  emanated.  There  are  some  reasons  to  suppose 
that  the  Apostle  Philip  has  been  confused  with  him  in 
these  later  years.  His  life  and  activities  meet  the  con- 
ditions of  authorship. 

Note  9,  Page  101. 

This  passage  reveals  one  of  the  curious  happenings 
in  connection  with  transcription.  An  entire  page  or 
column  of  matter  has  been  omitted  by  inadvertence,  and 
carried  over.  It  appears  in  Chapter  7,  but  in  an  awk- 
ward connection;  when  it  is  brought  again  to  its  place, 
the  connection  is  vividly  restored.  The  break  takes 
place  in  the  midst  of  a  Logion.  When  other  Logia  were 
interpolated,  this  broken  Logion  seems  to  be  absorbed. 
But  the  verse  form  and  the  person  of  the  interpolated 
Logia  are  different,  and  the  original  Logion  is  left  as  an 
unassimilated  element.  But  it  matches  perfectly  with 
a  similar  passage  which  begins  the  column  that  had 
been  misplaced.  So  it  becomes  possible  to  restore  the 
original  connection.  As  the  Gospel  now  stands,  the 
passage  would  have  been  removed  six  or  eight  pages, 
which  could  not  have  been  done  by  clerical  error.  But 
the  interpolated  material  is  very  extensive,  and  when 
this  is  removed  from  the  text,  the  broken  parts  are 
brought  quite  near.  The  intervening  portion  on  this 
supposition  is  in  length  almost  identical  with  the  por- 
tion which  has  been  transposed.  It  seems  clearly  a  case 
of  transposing  two  columns  of  matter,  and  throws  light 
upon  the  character  of  the  MS.  and  the  style  of  hand 
writing. 

Note  10,  Page  144. 

The  incident  of  the  "Centurion's  Servant"  has  been 
by  some   recent  scholars  assigned  to    "Q. "     Harnack 

418 


NOTES 

notes  that  in  his  restoration  of  that  text  that  it  has 
precisely  the  same  sequence  in  both  the  Matthsean  and 
Lukan  versions.  The  force  of  this  argument  is  nullified 
by  the  fact  that  in  the  restored  "Narrative  of  The 
Twelve  "  this  incident  occurs  in  the  identical  sequence 
in  both  versions.  Its  literary  affinities  and  textual 
characteristics  further  relate  it  to  this  document,  while 
the  hypothetical  "Q"  becomes  increasingly  elusive. 

Note  11,  Page  197. 

Inasmuch  as  the  Matthsean  Logia  present  textual 
problems  dependent  in  part  upon  the  Sources  of  the 
Synoptic  Gospels,  and  in  part  upon  a  study  of  the  text 
of  the  hypothetical  document  in  which  they  were 
originally  compiled,  it  has  not  been  deemed  wise  to 
attempt  a  thoroughly  critical  presentation  until  these 
studies  were  completed.  The  controlling  influence  at 
this  time  has  been  literary;  and  under  its  operation 
certain  briefer  passages  have  been  classed  as  "Frag- 
ments," without  prejudicing  the  question  as  to  their 
original  position.  For  the  purpose  of  the  present  argu- 
ment, it  suffices  to  show  their  genuine  poetic  form. 

Note  12,  Pages  199,  224,  226. 

The  twelve  and  fourteen-line  poems  seem  to  have 
been  especially  common,  and  to  have  had  a  technique  of 
their  own.  In  point  of  fact,  they  approach  the  "sonnet" 
in  the  nature  of  their  poetical  composition.  They  are 
used  with  peculiar  effect  in  a  number  of  the  parables. 
This  and  kindred  matters  belong  to  a  study  of  the 
poetical  technique  of  Jesus,  a  field  that  is  extremely 
inviting. 

Note  13,  Page  220. 

The  stanza  structure,  which  is  usually  a  conclusive 
guide,  would  indicate  that  we  have  here  a  second  poem 

419 


NOTES 

on  the  same  theme.  But  the  refrain  and  general  char- 
acter is  so  similar  that  it  has  seemed  wise  in  this  in- 
stance to  present  the  two  parts  together.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  Jesus  frequently  developed  more  than 
one  poem  on  the  same  theme;  though  seldom,  if  ever, 
with  the  same  phrases. 

Note  14,  Page  243. 

In  a  number  of  instances  the  parables  begin  with  a 
title,  which  is  sometimes  incorporated  into  the  first  line 
of  the  parable,  and  at  other  times  is  independent  thereof. 
Each  case  requires  to  be  settled  apart  from  a  general 
rule. 

Note  15,  Page  245. 
The  lines, 

"Let  us  eat  and  make  merry," 
And  they  began  to  make  merry, 

occur  at  the  close  of  the  second  part  of  the  poem.  They 
constitute  a  distinct  variation  from  the  verse  scheme. 
It  so  happens  that  the  lines  which  close  the  third  part, 
likewise  constitute  a  variation;  but  the  two  variations, 
when  brought  together,  work  out  a  harmony.  This  has 
seemed  reason  enough  for  the  transposition,  which  is 
further  commended  by  the  fact  that  the  preceding  lines 
seem  also  to  have  been  transferred  at  some  stage  of  the 
transcription.  Against  this  may  be  argued  the  striking 
climax  which  is  thereby  introduced.  Critics  will  be 
divided  as  to  the  artistic  merits  of  this  suggested  ending. 

Note  16,  Pages  265,  322. 

One  very  plausible  explanation  of  the  survival  and 
use  of  certain  oracles,  is  in  connection  with  the  Love 
Feasts.     It  appears  to  have  been  the  custom  for  the 

420 


NOTES 

"Episcopos"  to  be  seated  central  to  the  Presbyters, 
himself  representing  Jesus,  and  they  the  disciples;  and 
so  to  present  a  quasi  liturgy.  The  use  of  Logia  on  such 
occasions  was  altogether  natural.  Certain  Logia,  such 
as  this,  may  have  come  into  a  recognized  association 
through  such  processes.    Cf.  Ignatian  Epistles. 

Note  17,  Page  334. 

Editorial  comment  which  follows  is  of  a  distinctly 
later  date,  insisting  upon  the  foreknowledge  of  Jesus 
respecting  Judas.  But  the  contest  makes  it  very  clear 
that  the  term  "disciples"  is  inclusive  of  more  than  The 
Twelve,  and  that  the  reference  at  this  point  is  to  the 
partial  alienation  of  His  popular  following. 

Note  18,  Page  335. 

The  only  sense  in  which  this  expression  can  be  ade- 
quately interpreted  is  with  reference  to  "literature," 
and  the  wonder  is  at  his  mastery  of  literary  form. 

Note  19,  Page  336. 

We  have  at  this  point  another  case  of  transposition. 
The  order  as  it  occurs  in  the  second  text  is  an  anti- 
climax. The  incident  of  the  sending  of  the  officers  to 
arrest  Jesus  has  a  unity  that  is  broken  by  the  present 
usual  order.  The  intervening  passage  is  of  the  length  of 
a  column,  as  shown  by  the  other  transposition  (Note  9) ; 
when  it  is  so  treated  and  placed  immediately  before, 
there  is  a  great  gain  in  narrative  force. 

Note  20,  Page  388. 

"The  Narrative  of  The  Twelve"  falls  into  two  parts, 
evidencing  separate  literary  and  textual  qualities.  The 
first  part  concludes  with  "the  Transfiguration,"  and  is 

421 


NOTES 

characterized  as  a  series  of  memorabilia,  loosely  brought 
together.  These  memorabilia  were  originally  of  uniform 
length,  and  were  in  Aramaean.  Subsequently  they  were 
differently  translated  for  Matthew  and  Mark.  Later  on 
Luke  followed  the  Markan  version.  The  second  part  of 
the  "Narrative"  is  continuously  written,  also  in  Ara- 
maean. It  is  of  a  later  date.  The  two  documents  doubt- 
less came  into  association  before  their  translation  into 
Greek. 

Note  21,  Page  391. 

The  ease  with  which  distinguished  Christians  might 
be  identified  with  the  apostolic  group,  is  evident  from  the 
fact,  (a)  the  term  apostle  was  itself  flexible,  and  applied 
to  other  than  "The  Twelve;"  (b)  confused  traditions 
of  martyrdom  attest  local  beliefs  in  several  apostles  of 
the  same  name;  (c)  in  Asia  Minor  confusion  arose  con- 
cerning John  and  Philip.  A  man  "who  had  seen  the 
Lord"  would,  toward  the  end  of  the  century,  be  held  in 
special  reverence,  and  this  "visual  contact"  might  be  a 
sufficient  basis  for  inferring  identity  with  the  immediate 
discipleship.  The  tendency  to  exalt  a  beloved  leader  is 
well  known.  Witness  in  "Tom  Brown's  School  Days" 
the  identification  by  the  boys  of  their  "Brooke"  with 
a  wholly  supposititious  "Midshipman  Brooke,"  on 
board  the  famed  H.  M.  S.  Shannon. 

Note  22,  Page  398. 

A  few  natural  instances  are  sufficient  to  establish  the 
point;  reference  is  made  to  the  text  of  the  "Jerusalem 
Gospel,"  pp.  341,  345,  and  346. 


422 


INDEX 


Acts,  Book  of,  56. 
Apostolic  Age,  14,  15,  62. 
Aramaean   Dialect,   12,  79,   108, 

374,  Notes  2,  20. 
Authorized  Version,  11,  161. 
Authorship,  43,  46,  48,  52. 

B 
Briggs,  Dr.  C.  A.,  367. 

C 
Capernaum,  98,  100,  140,  144. 
Capernaum       Document,       132, 

147,  366,  375,  Note  4. 
Christian    Literature,    76,    366, 

408. 
Christians,  Early,  89.  180,  364, 

371,  408. 
Chronology,  87,  375,  383. 
Circulation,  47. 
Compilation,  51,  94. 
Copyists,  24,  27.  30,  83. 

D 
Disciples,   The  Twelve,   19,   84, 

358,  364,  399,  Note  17. 
Discipleship,   53,   67,   358,   363, 

399,  406. 
Driver,  Dr.  S.  R.,  162,  164. 

E 
Editorial  Influences,  78,  96,  114, 

141,  Note  17. 
Epistles,  49,  72,  Note  16. 
Erasmus,  35,  39. 
Evangelists,  89,  369,  370,  Note  8. 

F 
Fiske,  John,  59,  60. 


G 

Galilee,  88,   100,   102,   137.  332, 

385,  386. 
Gospel  Literature,  24,  42,  60,  74. 
Greek  Literature,  10,  19,  45,  63, 

65,  67,  74,  153. 

H 

Harnack.  A.,  412,  Note  10. 
Hebrew  Literature,  53,  66,  154. 
Hebrew  Poetry,  15,  66,  153-192. 
Higher    Criticism,    16,    57   seq., 
357. 

I 

Infancy   Gospel,    141,   177  seq., 

369. 
Interpolation,  27,  52,  77-125. 


Jerusalem     Church,    The,    365, 

371,  372,  381,  404. 
"Jerusalem,     Gospel    of,"    329, 

seq.,  365,  367,  373,  380,  383, 

393,  400,  405. 
Jesus,  Character  of,  80,  95,  109. 
Jesus,  Lordship  of,  15,  378,  381, 

402,  404,  407. 
Jesus,  Methods  of,  18,  146,  153, 

357,  384,  390,  398,  409. 
Jesus,  Poetry  of,  14,  20,  185,  seq., 

197-315,  358.  389,  Note  1. 
John,  The  Apostle,  362,  364,  372, 

373,  375,  385,  391,  393,  Note  21. 
John,  The  Baptist,  98,  111,  134, 

178,  179,  329,  379,  384. 
John,   The  Ephesian,   372,   391, 

393,  395,  Note  21 


423 


INDEX 


John,  Gospel  of,  14,  16.  61,  77, 
87,  125,  126,  146,  315,  376, 
379,  389,  404,  410. 

John,  Gospel  of,  21st  Chapter, 
81  seq.,  107. 


Lachmann,  41. 

Latin  Literature,  44,  45,  49. 

Lazarus,  94,  119,  120. 

Leaflets,  47,  78,  368,  375,  Notes 

4,  9. 
Logia,  18,  88,  101,  138,  139,  143, 

153,  197-315,  359,  363,  375. 
Logos,  377,  378. 
Lowth,  Bishop,  162,  165. 
Luke,  370.  373. 

M 

Manuscripts,  31,  36,  38,  44. 

Mark,  60. 

Matthew,    360,    361,    368,    375, 

393. 
Memorabilia,    68,    70,    84.    110, 

117,  124,  127,  129,  151. 
Memoranda,  50,  80,  94,  374. 
Messiah,  84,  381,  401,  405. 
Moffatt,  James,  376,  Note  7. 
Muratorian  Fragment,  392. 
Mythical  Theory,  58. 

N 

"Narrative  of  The  Twelve,"  138, 
367,  370,  375,  387,  Notes  10, 
20. 

New  Testament,  47,  54,  74. 

O 

Old  Testament,  53,  59,  see  He- 
brew Literature. 
Oral  Literature,  63,  67,  154. 
Oral  Traditions,  94,  96,  108,  375. 


Palimpsest,  26,  40. 

Papyrus,  25,  44. 

Parables,  18,  222-257,  Notes  12, 

14. 
Parchment,  24. 
Paul,  45,  72,  73,  180,  371,  377, 

380,  397,  407. 
Peter,  72,  82,  105,  111,  364,  406. 
Pharisees,  91,  337,  400. 
Philip,  89,  369,  Notes  7,  8,  21. 
Philo,  377,  380. 
Proverbs,  65,  66. 
Publishers,  30,  32,  52. 

R 

Rabbis,  73. 

Revised  Version,  77,  158. 

"Riddles,"  175,346. 


Samaritans,  85,  149,  380,  Note  7. 

Scribes,  27.  35. 

Scroll,  26,  50. 

Synoptic    Gospels,    14,    60,    98, 

102,    109,    115,    126-152,    383, 

400,  402. 

T 

Textual  Criticism,  34,  37  seq., 
41,  62,  78,  412,  Note  5. 

Theology,  13,  17. 

Tischendorf.  41. 

Transcription,  33,  38,  52,  118, 
Notes  9,  19. 

Tregelles,  41. 

W 

Westcott  and  Hort,  41,  77,  Note 

5. 
Wisdom  Literature,  66,  73. 
Writing,  Styles  of,  29,  33,  Note  9. 


424 


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Did  Jesus  write  his  own  gospel?  A  study 

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